Author note/Summary: Alrighty, so this is my first Buffy fic! So I've fallen in love with Spike's character and cried my eyes out when he died in Buffy. I was tickled pink that they brought him back in Angel but I didn't think that show did him justice. So anyway the story for this is Spike is still a vampire, and is still trapped in the amulet. Read the rest to find out what happens. Oh, and this is a Spike/OC story. Read and Review!
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Angel, or anything associated with those books and shows (and movie, for Buffy). So please don't sue.
Prologue: The Amulet.
Buffy couldn't believe it. Spike was gone. For good. There would never be a coming back or anything of that sort. He was permanently dead. And she already missed him. Her tear filled eyes took in the ruble that spike's ashes were buried in. The massive hole that had once been Sunnydale. Something in her longed to dive into the rubble and search until she found something of his, anything, just something she could hold on to. But she knew she couldn't. The crater was too big; she would simply be lost in it, probably never to return. But, as it was, she couldn't help feeling the tugging at her heart. The tugging that wanted her to find something of his. Something to remember him by. No, she'd never loved Spike the way he wanted her to. But that never meant she didn't care about him. She had cared about him. Immensely, and now…he was gone.
Slowly, she turned away from the rubble and smiled at the small group standing around them. One by one they met her eyes, a new sort of lose in some, and a new flash of hope in all. Her eyes came to a rest on Giles and she smiled. "Cleveland?" she asked and Giles grinned.
"That's a few states away" Xander stated. "Plenty of time to sight see along the way and find out what it's like to live a normal life. Just till we reach the hellmouth."
"I'm not going to Cleveland." All eyes turned to Faith as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm going home."
Her outburst brought many agreeing voices from the group, so many that Giles stepped forward. "Alright," he stated. "We'll take you to wherever you need to go. Or at least to the closest train deport. From there, you are free to go where you please."
Buffy's brow furrowed at that. She didn't want to go to Cleveland either. She wanted a normal life. A life without demons and vampires and slaying. Or at least, a life without vampires, except Angel. As soon as the thought hit her she knew exactly where she was going. Her hand slipped into her pocket and pulled out the small picture of her and Angel. He had his arms wrapped protectively around her, and both were grinning from ear to ear. On the back, in Angel's perfect handwriting, was an address to his new work, and the words, "I'm always here for you."
"I'm going to Los Angeles." She declared and wide-eyes turned to Buffy. "I want a normal life. Not a life filled with another hellmouth. So I'm going to Angel."
"Buffy…" Xander began. "Angel's not exactly…normal."
Buffy was quick to state, "I know that. But I want to be with Angel. And I think, after all this, I deserve to be happy and for once, get what I want."
No one would argue with that. Xander was the first to speak. "Then I'll go with you. I've got nowhere else to go. Might as well stay with you."
Dawn smiled softly at them and when Buffy asked where she was going, her voice got quiet. "I'm going to live with dad. Just until I can finish college. Become a layer, ya know?"
Giles was the last to respond. "England?" Buffy asked, almost hesitantly. Giles sighed. "No, I think I'll stay with you, if it's alright with Angel, of course."
"That's if Angel takes her back."
Giles sent Xander a warning look and slowly everyone climbed onto the bus, having decided most of their destinations. Only Xander and Giles would join Buffy in Los Angeles. The rest promised to at least stay in touch.
No one noticed Giles as he paused behind them. Something had caught the sunlight and reflected it right into his glasses. He turned back toward the large crater in the ground to see the sun gleaming off of a small metal object where the 'Welcome To Sunnydale' sign had been moments before. He glanced back at the bus, positive they were not going to leave without him, and then headed toward the object.
What was lying on the ground caused him to catch his breath. It was an amulet, the same amulet Giles was sure he'd seen wrapped around Spike's neck. He bent down and picked it up gently, as if not to disturb the artifact. It was odd the way it felt in his hand, as if it were pulsing with energy. His eyes traveled over the remains of Sunnydale one last time as if expecting the owner of the amulet to spring up from the ground and stroll right up to the big yellow bus.
But he knew Spike was long gone. Yet for some reason, he just couldn't get rid of the object. Sighing he slipped the necklace into his pocket and stood for a moment, starring at the remains. "Giles?" he turned to see Buffy watching him warily. "You alright?"
His fingers toyed with the chain of the necklace for a moment and he wondered if he should give it to her. But then he slipped his hand out of his pocket and smiled softly at her. "Quite alright." He stated. "Shall we go?"
She smiled and offered her arm and together they marched arm and arm toward the bus, and Los Angeles.
Okay, I know it was short but I'm already working on the next chapter. So here's how I work, the more reviews I get, the quicker the chapters are put up. And I'm trying to beat my record for reviews for one story (which was 120 reviews for my story One Big Happy Family). So, Flames are welcome as long as they are helpful. REVIEW!