Title: New Chances
Summary/Disclaimer: This is an AU. Anya did NOT die, Sunnydale did NOT get blown up, Sunnydale's population has returned and Willow did do the white magic on the scythe and there are lots of new Slayers. Okay, and Wood isn't dating Faith, he's persuing a relationship with Buffy, which won't happen. Maybe I'll put in a Faith/Wood thing later on. I also played around with how Spike defeated the First Evil, and how he died. I own nothing of BtVS.
Chapter 1The months after the defeat of the First weren't particularly easy for Buffy. She had managed, somehow, to piece together part of her life. Aside from patrolling, which was at an all-time low, she helped rebuild the high school and counsel the students who had been tramatized by their own encounters with the First. Of course, she didn't tell them that it was a demonic attack or that the First had affected their lives, she told them that they were being affected by a long series of earthquakes and freak storms.
She mourned for the loss of so many Slayers. What were left of them were spread out around the world, looking for new Slayers, with the exception of Amanda, who went to school in Sunnydale. When they had defeated the First, all of those who were still alive were offical Slayers, along with all the Slayers around the world who had become ones when Willow did the spell on the scythe. She knew now that the world would be safe now that the Slayer line was restored.
Buffy still mourned for one person in particular. She mourned for Spike. He had sacrificed himself to save the world and to save her. She missed him, she wished that he were still around. She knew that it was her who was supposed to have gone, not him.
Everyone was hurt. They all stood in a semi-circle around Buffy. She was their leader, and they need orders as to what to do. The super-vampires were in some sort of retreat mode, probably under orders from the First, surrounding the small force that was the good guys, waiting, at a fifty yards distance, to come in and kill them all.
The new Slayers were on the outside, as if gaurding them. The Scooby gang formed a sort of inner ring around her. Spike stood at her side.
"What do we do know luv?" he asked, looking down at her.
"We try to win, I guess, or die trying," she responded, grim, sad and tired.
"B, that's suidice," Faith said, looking at her sister Slayer.
"I know, but do you have any other, better ideas?" the oldest living Slayer asked to the dark Slayer.
"The amulet!" Spike cut in, holding up the necklace that hung rather uselessly, around his neck.
"It won't work, Spike," Buffy said, giving her almost-boyfriend a queer look. "It hasn't worked yet. We both know that. It probably would have never worked."
He returned her queer look, defeat written clearly on his face. She could tell that he couldn't accept this defeat as easily as she could. She saw in his eyes the sadness of knowing that she would die before him, and there was nothing that he could do to stop it. Without any warning, the amulet burst out in light, sending a continuous stream of light at the super-vamps, disentegrating all of them. Spike stood, almost shell-shocked, amazed at what the amulet, which he thought had been totally and completely useless, was now doing.
Taking this moment to her advantage, Buffy yelled for everyone to get out, and they did. She remained with Spike; he looked at her with wide eyes. Shock was written clearly on his face.
"I can feel it," he said.
"Feel what?" she asked him, worried
"My soul," he replied, "it's really there. Kinda stings. Go, they need you up there."
"No, you can still-"
"Go!" he insisted.A sudden spasm of pain caused him to throw up his hands. She took his hand in her. A fire was burst from their joined hands.
"I love you," she said.
"No, you don't," he answered. "But thanks for saying it." He looked into her eyes and knew she had truly meant what she had said. "Now go!"
Buffy looked up as her best friend, Willow, walked into the kitchen. "Hi, Buffy," Willow said, rather perkily.
"Hi."
"When're you not gonna be all sad and grumpy. We've beat the First! You should be happy for Xander and Anya, I mean, they got back to together, and they're engaged!" Willow said, concern growing for her friend.
"I'm happy for them, but I'm still grieving," Buffy said, much pain flooding into her voice.
"Spike?"
"Yeah, and now that I think about it, I know that I can't settle down and have a family like Xander and Anya. I want him back, badly. He was the only one who really understood what I was going through. I loved him, I still do. I just didn't realize it until it was too late." Buffy broke down into silent tears. Willow hugged her, crying as well. Nothing could compare to the pain the Slayer felt for the loss of the only one she considered to be her deepest confidant
Invisible to them were two beings. Both were surronded by a soft white
light and were clothed in white robes.
Both saw the Slayer cry, mourning still the lost of a very close friend. Both had heard her revelation to the red-haired witch. Both knew the truth, both saw that she still loved the one who had died with all of her heart. Both knew that she, the Vampire Slayer, loved one of her enemies, an un-dead being, a vampire. Both knew that the one she loved so dearly had shown her love before he died his second death. Both knew that he would have done anything for her, anything. Both had heard her confession. Both had heard that she wanted him back more than anything. Both knew that she loved him; both knew that she loved him.
One of the beings was the one she had lost, Spike. Spike look longingly at Buffy, his Slayer.
He whispered one word: "Buffy."
The being that stood beside him spoke. "You see, vampire, she had her heart set on one thing: you. She didn't care that you were a vampire. She didn't fall in love with your vampire side. She saw your human side. She saw the good in you, even though all of the others saw you as evil, she saw the good. Even though she denied it, she loved you. She loved you very much, she loved you until the end and she continues to love you."
"I-I'm jus' havin' trouble believin' wha' yer sayin'. She, the Vampire Slayer, loved me? Why?" he asked, tears forming in his own eyes. He hastily brushed them away.
"As I said, she saw the good in you, your human side. She never gave up hope that one day you would be fully accepted into her group of friends, even if she knew that you wouuld never."
"I'm touched, really. But why'd ya bring me to hear this? Ya want'd me ta hear her confession, then tell me why she loved me? Ya want'd me to hurt even more fer dyin' and leavin' her all alone," he practically shouted, mad at the actions of the being. "Honestly, it's not fair, fer me, or fer Buffy."
"No, I offer you a second chance. You will return to her as a human, but immortal still. She too will be given an immortal life," the being said.
"You've got to be jokin'!" Spike replied. He glared at the being, angrily.
The being smiled and said, "On matters like this, I do not joke. The both of you deserve this act of good deed, for all that you have done, and will do, in the service of The Powers That Be. Her gift will present itself on the Eve of Christmas, at midnight, in one week's time."
"Wha' about the drawbacks? There're always bloody drawbacks to the gifts given by The Powers."
"To this gift, we have placed no restrictions."
"When do I go back to her?" Spike said, quite anxiously.
"When you are ready to." Spike turned and watched his Slayer. She was still unaware of their presence. She was slumped over in the chair in which she was sitting. Willow had gone off to tend to something elsewhere in the house. He watched Buffy for a moment, before he turned back to the being.
Finally, he asked a question, "Are the Slayer and 'er friends going to the Bronze tonight?"
"Yes? Why do you question their course of action?" the being said, puzzled by the vampire's inqury.
"Good, I'll return then. If I know Buffy, and I do, she'll be upset and stay behind for a moment. I want to go back then."
"Although your reasoning is strange, vampire…"
"Why do ya continually call me 'vampire?' I got a name, ya know! Call me Spike, hell or even William, if it suits yer tastes," Spike said, giving the higher being a sarcastic look.
"Fine, William. Although I do not understand you reasoning, I shall return you when you wish. You shall go back different than she remembers you. You will resemble the person you were when you became a vampire, but still the person you are now," the being said.
"Fine by me, I'm jus' waitin' 'til it's time fer me ta go back." Spike smiled happily at the thought of seeing his Slayer once again
The two faded from sight until the time came for Spike to return to the living world and to the one he loved, to the Slayer, to Buffy. To Spike, that time would seem like an eternity, despite the fact that it would only be a couple of hours. He waited with building anxiety, excitement and fear. He was overjoyed at the thought of seeing Buffy again. Soon, she would see him not as a vampire, or even as a higher being, but alive, as a human, as a man.