Spike sat hunched down in his chair, toying with a pint of beer, as he watched some scantly clad women dancers on a stage in front of him. Sensing that someone was watching him, he forced himself to look away from the withering, sensual bodies, in order to look around the room. Through the haze of thick smoke that hung in the air of the bar, he noticed an attractive woman gazing lazily over at him. A smile spread seductively across her lips as their eyes meet.

Vampire, Spike thought. He raised his eyebrows a bit.

Why not?

But, before he could get up to go over to the woman, a couple of drunken patrons stumbled into his table almost knocking it over. Quickly grabbing his drink, Spike jumped out of the way.

"Watch it," he hissed

"I tol you na to do tha..." one of the demons bellowed incoherently. The other just growled, and lunged at his companion. Spike rolled his eyes at the sight of the two fighting.

"Demon Pubs," he muttered, shaking his head.

As he turned around to walk away, he bumped into someone. It was the same woman who had been eyeing him up.

"Hi," she whispered. Spike didn't say anything. He ran his eyes over her, liking what he saw. She was so very sexy...

"You looked lonely sitting over here all by yourself. I thought I'd come over and see if you wanted any company."

"Can I buy you a drink?" Spike finally asked.

She nodded, and he gestured to a vacant nearby table.

"I'm Ali."

"Spike" He signaled to a waitress walking by.

"I have never seen you here before?"

"I've been in here a few times. Pass by this dump every now and again, thought that I would stop in and check it out"

"You a regular here then?"

" I guess you could call me a regular," she smiled.

"I kind of like the atmosphere. And no questions ever asked." Spike nodded a thank you to the waitress for his beverage, and took a drink.

"What do you think of this place so far?" Ali asked taking a sip from hers. Spike shrugged.

"Usual demon dive, I guess." Ali's eye's darted around, than she moved closer to Spike, placing her hand inside his duster and started to casually stroke his chest with long manicured fingers. She began to kiss the soft flesh of his neck, slowly making her way upward.

Spike stared at a blinking beer advertisement, not moving, but thoroughly enjoying her touch. When she placed her lips on his, he did resist. Her hands moved lower, gently massaging the inside of his thigh. A loud crash from nearby distracted them both for a brief moment. As Ali regained her composure, Spike grabbed her hand away from him.

"I can't," he whispered. He shot up abruptly out of his seat, and released Ali's hand. He looked at her for a couple of seconds.

"I'm sorry." Than walked briskly away. God, he thought as he left the nightclub I am turning into Angel.

From just outside the kitchen, a young woman, on her knees, was hurriedly cleaning up pieces of broken dishes and glasses off the floor. The owner of the nightclub came up to her and gave her a forceful kick to the side of her body.

"Clumsy wench!"

"I'm sorry," she replied without reveling any emotion to the assault she had just received.

"I have no idea why I even keep you around here," he shouted, his antenna's quivering around his mouth.

"If it wasn't for your mother...." He pointed to the mess on the floor

"Get this cleaned up, and get back into the kitchen before you start scaring off customers!" The young woman's face contorted into a snarled as she watched him leave, her eyes beginning to glowing a brilliant blue.

"He makes me want to drop things too!" a throaty whisper from behind her commented.

"W-what?" the young woman stammered, taken by surprise, her eye's returning to their normal violet blue color.

"Spike, the vampire you have been keeping tabs on," teased one of the waitresses, as she stepped from behind the kitchen door.

"I ... haven't been..."

"Oh, don't give me that one Hope. I have seen him in here a couple of times. It is hard not to notice someone who looks like him, and every time he's here, there you are standing around all doe eyed. Hope looked down at the tray she had been holding with all the broken dishes.

"He looks so... lonely is all. A man like that. I do not understand why he is all alone?" The waitress shook her head.

"I have heard about that one. He has a soul now it seems. Not a true vamp anymore. Pity" She shrugged, and glanced at Hope.

"Well, I have better things to do with my time than standing around here talking to you. Happy cleaning." She brushed past Hope, heading towards a table that a new group of demons had gathered around. Hope continued to stand there.

" I have heard of him too..."

*****************************************************************

CHAPTER 2

Spike walked down a street, clenching, and unclenching his fists. His lunging movements, however deliberate, where yet graceful, almost ballet-like in the way that he carried himself. He did not understand what the problem was. Why can't he have a good time? It is just sex, after all.

He turned, heading down an ally, when he felt a rather odd sensation. He stopped and carefully scanned the area. Trash cans were scattered all over. A cat sat moving his tail irately back and forth on an old green dumpster. The only smell he could detect was that of the garbage, and the rank odor of the creatures living in the ally. Still, something was there. He stood, poised to do battle with whatever nasty that was lucking about. A shadow moved toward him.

"Bloody 'ell! What do you want!" Spike let himself relax a bit, although remaining very much on guard. Illyria glided motionless towards him, her head tilted to the side.

"Angel asked me to find you."

"Yeah?" Spike threw up his arms out of frustration.

"I just wanted a bit of time to myself is all. I do not have to spend all my waking hours at Wolfram and Hart! What does his Lordship, Sir Nancy Boy want now?"

"He wanted me to give you a message."

"Is that right, what is the message than?" Illyria twitched her head again, her intensely blue eyes never blinking.

"He wanted me... She trailed off and walked towards Spike. Becoming alarmed by her movements, Spike stepped back.

"What?" She kept searching for some unknown presence. Spike didn't sense a thing.

"I feel power"

"Hello, vampire here," Spike goaded at her, but Illyria said nothing.

"Come on, there is nothing here, what is the message?" Illyria returned her intense gaze back to Spike.

"He wanted me to tell you that a Buffy is back, and.... Before Illyria could finish her sentence, Spike ran off with out saying a word.

Illyria remained still for a moment, trying to pin point the source of the presence she had detected, but was unable to. She slowly started to walk in the same diction Spike had taken.

From out of the shadows, a figure stepped into the ally, and proceeded to follow Illyria.

"Where is Buffy!" Spike demanded as he stormed into Angels office. Angel and Wes both turned simultaneously to look at the blonde vampire.

" And how come you sent that Borg to tell me Buffy was here?"

"I sent Illyria because she is the only person here who could keep you from charging in here after you learn of Buffy being here, which, obviously, didn't even work.... Borg?" Angel asked.

"How do you know what a Borg is?" I thought you didn't get into all that stuff?" Spike stared at Angel.

"How do you know what a Borg is? I always figured you for a nerd, deep down inside!" He sneered back.

"Spike!"

Angel raised his hand to his forehead out of exasperation, than let it drop back to his side.

"Where is Illyria now?" Wesley asked.

"I do not know, she was having a god-like moment or something. I left her behind. I am sure she is more than capable of taking care of herself." Spike replied.

Even though Wesley looked concerned, he said nothing. "Excuse me, I have a lot of research to do," and made his exit.

Angel walked over to his desk and nervously rearranged a few papers piled up on it.

"Buffy is with Lorne, he is taking her on a tour of the building.... it was really very awkward when she came. She just doesn't understand what we are trying to do here."

"Did Buffy say why she came? What is going on?" Spike asked Angel plopped down into his desk chair.

"I do not know if they are here to..."

"They?" Spike interrupted.

"Giles, Andrew, and... um... Buffy's new boyfriend." Spikes eyebrows raised. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words never came out.

Angel sat, looking down at a pen he was fiddling with. Spike could see the pained expression on Angel's face. He himself was experiencing so many emotions right now. A part of him was ecstatic that he would finally be seeing Buffy. He wanted to go to her and kiss every inch of her body. Another part of him was not sure what to think. He was puzzled by how little the idea of Buffy having a new boyfriend effected him. He was just grateful that he would be able to see her and talk to her again.

"I told Buffy....about you. I told her that you are.." Angel was going to say alive, but realized his mistake.

"With us now. I know it was not my place to tell her, but should I have just waited, and let her have another shock, making this all worse? She already thinks I am evil for taking over at Wolfram and Hart, and than if you were to come bounding in here out of nowhere, which you just did..." Angel stopped and paced around behind his desk.

"I'm sorry Spike. I thought I was doing the right thing." Spike was staring out of the window, with a complacent expression on his face.

"You know these windows really need to be cleaned," he suggested, running his fingers down one of them. Angel didn't say anything. He just sat looking at Spike.

"How did she react? When you told her?"

"She... " Angel sighed. "I do not think Buffy is the same person we once knew. I can't explain it. She's different, grown up now, you know? She really didn't react. I do not know if she has reached the point were nothing is a surprise anymore or if..."

"She doesn't care," Spike finished for him. Before Angel could reply, the door to his office opened. Lorne walked in, followed by Buffy, Giles, Andrew, and the one referred to as Buffy's boyfriend.

Spike almost felt glad that he didn't have a beating heart, for it would have almost certainly burst right out of his chest cavity in reaction to how he was feeling at the moment.

Lorne clasped his hands together, trying to maintain a cheerful voice. "That is the end of the tour, I hope that you all enjoyed yourselves."

Buffy looked from Angel to Spike, remaining emotionless. Andrew fidgeted as he looked from Spike to Buffy, than locked his gaze toward the floor.

Giles was the first to speak; "Well, that was certainly an interesting tour. You seem to have everything you need right at your finger tips." Lorne looked around at everybody.

"I think I will just leave you kids alone now, I have a dinner engagement with Brad Pit that I must get ready for. I think red velour, don't you?" Lorne and Angel exchanged glances. Angel knew just what that look meant. He was going to need all the luck he could get with this one.

"Thanks, Lorne." Lorne turned around shaking his head as he closed the door.

Buffy turned to Angel "We need to talk."

***********************************************
CHAPTER 3

Spike felt that an emptiness was creeping into his soul. He could not believe Buffy's lack of emotion at the sight of seeing him standing there in front of her. He could understand her being waring under the circumstances, but this.... he wasn't sure how much more he could take.

"I'll be out in the lobby" Spike said quietly. Buffy watched him as he walked toward the door. Spike paused for a moment to look back at her.

"I hope you have been happy."

Harmony saw Spike leaving Angel's office, and immediately noticed the drawn look on his face. She had never seen Spike look so lost and so vulnerable before. He had always treated her like dirt, as if he was incapable of truly caring about anybody at all... except for his precious Druzilla. Poor blondie bear... She shrugged and went back to her typing.

As Illyria neared Wolfram and Hart, she knew that whatever creature she had been sensing, it was following her. She wasn't to concerned about it learning her destination. She was only concerned with why it had chosen her to follow. What was it's objective? It's motive?

There...

She could finally feel something within it. A change. It's abilities to use her own powers against her were faltering. An em-path....

Illyria seized upon the opportunity to act while it was distracted. She allowed the time continuum around her to slow to such a level that it looked as if nothing was moving. Swiftly, Illyria turned around, placing her hands out in front of her, and with an unseen force, thrust the stalker into the side of the Wolfram and Hart building. She than moved over closer in order to confront the elusive trailer. To her surprise, it was a young woman.

"A Brazille" Illyria muttered, intuitively recognizing the ancient race. Resting against the wall, looking frantically around her, was Hope.

Disoriented and confused, she finally noticed Illyria standing in front of her. She was able to feel two distinct individuals within the same body. Neither one existing as they had. Instead, a new life form evolved out of the merge. She was fascinated by what she felt. She slowly crept towards Illyria, studying her intently. Illyria suddenly felt different. She tried to move, but could not. She stood helplessly as the young Brazille moved closer, watching and analyzing her every feature. Hope moved away, directing her attention to a fourth story upper window of Wolfram and Hart, thereby releasing the hold on Illyria.

The Slayer!

Hope felt the life-force of the girl responsible for the death of her mother! Hope could not believe it. Ignoring the hate that was swelling up inside of her, she tried to calm herself. Walking into the safety of the shadows, she slide down the side of the building to sit on the cement surrounding it.

Listening, feeling. Such pain....

Illyria stepped hurriedly out of the elevator and into the lobby at Wolfram and Hart. She thought she should tell Wesley about the woman she had encountered. A Brazille here, even if it was only half Brazille. How very rare. Through the people shuffling about, she saw Spike leaning against a pillar, staring at the floor. As she approached him, he looked up. Illyria looked at his face in puzzlement. He had been crying. She instinctively wanted to comfort him, but was unsure how. Reaching her hand out, she touched the tears on his face. She did not understand all of these new feelings. What should she do?

Spike, searching her face for some sign of comfort, noticed that some of the blue on her skin and hair had disappeared.

Spike looked at Angel's closed office door. The pain in his chest grew. He wished that things would have turned out differently after saving the world almost a year ago. He wished he could be helping Buffy now.

He wished that he had never died...

Down below, Hope could hear his words echoing in her mind.

Hope wandered blindly through the streets of LA, Spikes thoughts circling around and around in her mind.

When Hope entered the small shabby confines of her apartment, she immediately headed for a chest that had been stashed under a desk. Dragging it out, she opened it up and reached in. Slowly, one by one, she placed it's contents on the floor around her. One of the items, a grossly oversized book, took both hands to lift out. Setting the volume on her lap, she ran her figures across the hand tooled leather cover.

"Translate," she commanded. The book flew open, jumping from her hands. Pages moved as if being blown by a strong wind. As suddenly as it had begun, the book lay still on the floor.

Hope crawled over to it, absorbing the information it provided her. She now knew what see needed to do. Reaching for one of the jars taken out of the chest, Hope sprinkled a circle in ash around her and the book. She placed a copper bowl in the exact apex of the circle. There she sat, contemplating her next coarse of action.

"You will not be able to make it work, Hope," a voice cut through the silence.

Hope knew that he was there, she could feel the energy emanating from the powerful demon.

"You have always been a strange one," D'Hoffryn continued

"What do you want," Hope asked quietly. D'Hoffryn walked around the crude circle and paused when he noticed the book.

"You have learned much, I am impressed. How did you come across that book?"

"My mother gave it to me. She said it was from my people."

"Your mother!" D'Hoffryn was clearing surprised.

"Well, it looks like your mother had intelligence after all. That still doesn't make up for a pathetic excuse of a vampire she was, does it? I mean what sort of vampire takes a baby from a dumpster and raises it as her own child?"

"She was not pathetic!" Hope hissed back.

"No?" Than tell me, why was she sucking the blood of humans.... with their permission even," He bend over to speak into Hope's ear," Rather than to kill them for it. hmm. Your mother was a sad, pathetic, worthless creature."

Hope sat, glaring up at him. Her eyes glowing a sapphire blue.

"And you are no different. The Slayer stakes her in the back, and you...did...nothing! I was extremely disappointed that you never asked for vengeance."

"Leave!" Hope demanded, her voice changing tone.

D'Hoffryn chuckled. "Hope, you maybe a powerful little thing, but it will be an eternity before you possess the knowledge to be a threat to me."

"I know more than you think"

"Oh, yes. The time displacement you're planning to attempt. It will fail," D'Hoffryn's voice was harsh and definitive.

"If you do not think it is going to work, than why are you here? Why do you always come around? Hope looked him in the eye.

"I have never been able to-"

"Never been able to look into my mind? Never been able to feel my thoughts?" He replied, interrupting her pattern of thought.

"Demons have wants, they have desires," She continued. "There is a part within every being that needs....I should be able to feel something...even within you."

D'Hoffryn stood there, smiling.

"Maybe someday you will," he whispered. "Maybe someday you will."

D'Hoffryn ran his hand along side of Hope's check. "You have a lot of your father in you Hope, all Brazille. But, there will come a day when your mother's side," he paused, "your real mother, will emerge. Maybe than you will have a place for me."

He smiled at her wide eyed expression. "Have you ever wondered why a small, insignificant creature like yourself has managed to survive all these years, living among demons? I am sure you will be able to figure that out on your own. And why would I do something like that?" He pointed a long taloned finger at her. "Because I know what you really are....."

D'Hoffryn left her, the charred remains of his portal, smoldered quietly. Hope felt a shutter run thru her body.

*******************************************
Chapter 4

Shaken by D'Hoffryn's visit, Hope tried to focus all her energy toward the task she was determined to complete. Removing the tattered garment that she wore as a top, and placing her hand on her bare bosom, Hope began to chant in the ancient tongue, letting her thoughts become words. She picked up the bowl with her free hand, and held it up by her chest, her quivering hand causing it to shake with uncertainty.

Hope pressed her hand against her skin, eyes wide with fear. She continued to push until it sank completely into her flesh. She was surprised by how little pain there was. Taking a deep breath, she withdrew her hand and in it's grasp was her beating heart. She carefully placed it into the bowl, dipping her fore finger in the blood that had collected inside. Drawing a line across her forehead, she titled her head back and closed her eyes...

Hope found herself in a cave, or a basement. She was confused. There where bodies everywhere, shoulder to shoulder, engaged in fighting. Humans against the ancient ones.

"Oh my God.." Hope whispered, looking around. She knew that these young women could not possibly win this battle. She knew she could not change the sacrifice that Spike had made.

"Buffy," a voice called out. Spike was staggering as if he was in pain. Tears swelled up in Hopes eyes as she watched the events unfold within her mind. She felt so helpless not being able to help.

In the blink of an eye, a flash of light burned through her. Spike had stopped next to a staircase, and she could see that a ray of blinding light was radiating from a medallion Spike had around his neck. Upon seeing the Amulet, Hope's spirits rose a little bit. There may still be a way, but she had to act at precisely the right moment in order for this to work. Buffy had gone to where Spike was standing.

"I can feel it, Buffy."

"What?"

"My soul. It's really there. Kinda stings."

Hope focused on Spikes life-force. Even though his body was no longer living, his life force was very much alive. She could feel that he was in terrible pain, that he was physically tied to the medallion in some way. Hope shifted her attention from Spike, to the neckless. The amulet itself hadn't any power of it's own. Putting her own life-force inside the energy field being created within it, she discovered that the power seemed to be coming from another place, with Spike being the receiver. A large, vast, evil place.

How would she be able to sever this link? What if she did something that could hurt Spike or the others? Hope knew she needed to act quickly before it consumed Spike, transporting him to another place. Another dimension even.

"You've done enough, you can still....." Hope heard Buffy talking to Spike.

"No. You beat them back, it's for me to do the clean up."

"Buffy! Come on!" A different girl called down to Buffy as she ran up the staircase.

Violent tremors ravaged throughout the cavern. Debris and rock where falling in around them. The tremors! They were creating energy. A pure energy, free from spells, and evil forces.

Hope had never attempted something like this before. Would it work, she wondered. Imposing her will from inside the amulet's conduit, she absorbed energy being released by the quakes and tremors. Her will became millions of molecules, moving faster and faster. The molecules ionized, creating a barrier which dispersed power being sent through to Spike. Such a force had built up, causing the conduit to buckle under intense strain, and collapse in on itself. The neckless gave one last burst of bright light, than ceased to illuminate.

"I mean it. I gotta do this." Spike said firmly.

Buffy interlocked her hand with his, and smiled when she noticed that the beam of light had faded away. Spike followed her gaze.

"We need to go now!" Buffy demanded, pulling Spike toward the stairs. Still stiff and unsure about his strength, Spike stumbled on the stairs.

"Buffy..." He trailed off.

"We are going to do this," Buffy interrupted.

When they reached the main level of the school, Buffy paused amongst a group of dead Bringers. Bending over, she began tugging at his cloak. Understanding, Spike knelt down, and helped Buffy to undress the corpse, wrapping himself in the garment. Tripping over something, he glanced down to see a blonde haired young woman, laying beside a Bringer, facing the other way. He wondered with sadness which Slayer she was.

"Spike!" Buffy screamed.

"Right behind you!" Spike tore his eyes off the still figure, and caught up to Buffy.

Running for the school doors, they found them blocked by more debris.

"We need to get to the roof top, it's the only way."

Buffy, leading Spike by the hand, for his head was covered in the thick black fabric, kept running across rooftops of a multitude of different building, desperately searching for a way out.

"I see a bus," Buffy called out.

They tried to increase their speed the best they could, until reaching the edge of one of the buildings.

"Jump!" Buffy yelled.

Taking a leap, extending limbs and legs for all they were worth in order to gain precious momentum, Spike and Buffy soared through the air. Spike was not even sure that they would reach the bus, but a hollow thud, and movement from underneath him, confirmed they had landed on the bus.

Peeking from through the fabric of his clock, Spike was barely able to see Sunnydale succumb to the tremors.

"We are going to make it, Buffy!" He looked over at Buffy, who had placed her head down against the faded yellow roof, looking exhausted, but still managed a weak smile at Spike.

The bus soon came to a sudden halt, causing Buffy and Spike to slide forward somewhat. Spike, who had been gripping on to the bus with his boots, instinctively put out his hand to steady himself.

"Ah!" He yelled, covering up his smoking hand.

Buffy had jumped off of the bus, and slowly walked over to get a better view of the smoldering crater, which used to be the city.

Dawn ran out of the back of the bus to embrace her sister. The others made their way over to where Buffy and Dawn were standing, staring at the remains.

" I don't understand. Who did this? Giles asked.

"Spike," Buffy said.

Spike, who had also gotten down from the bus top, lost his balance after becoming intwined within the cloak he was wearing, and fell into the sand.

"It's about bloody time somebody other than you saved the world," he drawled as he straightened himself out.

Spike turned his head toward where Xander and Andrew were talking about Anya.

"Did you see what happened? I mean, was she..."

"She was incredible," Andrew croaked; "She saved my life."

"That's my girl."

Spike felt a lump forming in his throat, realizing the woman amongst the Bringers was Anya.

"Poor lamb," he muttered to himself.

He listened to the others joke about shopping and pricked his ears up when Buffy was asked what they all will be doing now-

That it was all over.

It will be the start of a new life for them. Spike wondered at the possibilities. Now, maybe, he might be able to start a new life himself. With Buffy...

*************************************

Chapter 5

Hope opened her eyes.

Did it work, she wondered. She was so tired. Managing to slip her heart back into her chest, without any trace that it had ever been disturbed, she slumped over into unconsciousness.

"So, you succeeded after all, little one." D'Hoffryn said, appearing out of the air. He knelt down and lifted Hope up, carrying her to a nearby couch, and gently laid her down on it.

"You are beyond even my protection now...."

Illyria felt a time vortex move around her as she stood in the lab looking for Wesley. She look cautiously around not sure what to except, one thing she did know, she was destine to be there. Her return had been prophesied long ago.

"Fred," a man's voice called out. Illyria quickly slipped into Fred's persona.

"Hey, have you gotten those lab results done yet?" Gunn asked.

"Sorry Charles, no, not yet. But I should have them done for you in a jiffy," Illyria replied as Fred.

"Ok, good. I need them ASAP. Those results are a crucial part of my defense." Gunn looked down at his watch.

"Gotta go. Thanks! I will talk with you later." He left in a hurry as if he was late for something.

Illyria walked out into the hallway and down the corridors, searching for any clues which might possibly explain what had just happened. Wandering into the lobby, she noticed Harmony looking over at her from her desk.

"Fred, Angel is looking for you. I don't know what he wants, but I thought I would let you know, girlfriend."

Not knowing what the term girlfriend meant, Illyria avoided the comment.

"Where is Wesley? I need to talk to him."

"He and Lorne are taking care of some business for Angel. They should be back pretty soon... Harmony became all flustered. "Oh, I just broke a nail, I hate it when that happens. Why should fingernails break on a vampire anyway," She prattled on.

"And Spike? Where is he?"

"Spike? How would I know. I mean, I know he is my ex and all, but...."

Illyria stopped listening to her. Whatever caused the change, he must be involved somehow. The vampire seemed to be dedicated to these individuals, she did not find it likely that he would leave them, or deliberately cause harm to come to them.

The Brazille woman, Illyria thought, I must find her. She turned and walked away from Harmony.

"Fred?" Harmony asked

"Was it something I said...?"

End of Part 1