Out Of Our Minds

Summary: What if the dream Spike had in 'Out of My Mind' was not really a dream. How does Buffy deal with Riley, her friends, Spike, and also Glory?


Graveyard at Night: Spike and Harmony run between the trees and gravestones.

SPIKE: Buffy, Buffy, Buffy! Everywhere I turn, she's there! That nasty little face, that ... bouncing shampoo-commercial hair, that whole sodding holier-than-thou attitude.

HARMONY: Well, aren't we kinda unholy, by the-

SPIKE: She follows me, you know, tracks me down. I'm her pet project. Drive Spike round the bend. Makes every day a fresh bout of torture.

(He stops running, picks up a headstone and throws it against another. Harmony cringes as the dust showers her.)

HARMONY: Spike!

SPIKE: You don't understand. I can't get rid of her. She's everywhere. She's haunting me, Harmony!

(He grabs her upper arms. She looks very scared. Spike stares at her, slowly calms down. )

SPIKE: (quietly) This ... has got to end.

Doctors: Riley lying on the operating table, with the doctor putting a bandage on his chest. Buffy walks in.

OVERHEISER: All patched up.

(Overheiser exits and Riley sits up. We see that in addition to being shirtless, he's also only wearing half a pair of jeans -- the other pant- leg was cut away to help get the arrow out of his leg. Another bandage is wrapped around his thigh. He picks up his shirt and begins to put it on. Buffy puts one hand on Riley's good leg and lightly touches the bandage on his chest with her other hand.)

BUFFY: How's it goin' in there?

RILEY: Good. Back to normal.

(Buffy leans her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat.)

BUFFY: Yep. (He strokes her hair. She leans back and takes his bruised hand in hers, pulling his hand to her heart.)

BUFFY: And see ... I'm still touchable.

RILEY: (nods) Give me a week or so to heal, and ... I'll take full advantage of that fact. (Buffy smiles, still holding his hand)

BUFFY: Are you gonna be okay? 'Cause I should really go check on my mom and go kill Spike most defiantly. (Riley looks up at her.)

RILEY: Yeah. Yeah, go ahead. I'll be fine.

BUFFY: I'll talk to you later.

(He nods. She leans up and kisses him softly, then turns away. Shot of Riley's hands as Buffy pulls her out of his grasp and leaves. Shot of Riley watching her go, looking pensive.)

(Cut to Riley and Graham walking down the hall in a dorm or frat building. Riley has a noticeable limp. Graham's face is still bruised.)

GRAHAM: It's a good thing Buffy found you when she did, 'cause you were about to detonate big-time. Always said she's pretty impressive.

RILEY: You know, she really is.

GRAHAM: But you know you don't belong here, right? (Keeps walking and talking although Riley has stopped walking and is staring at his back) This town? I mean, you're nothin' here.

RILEY: Hey. (Graham stops walking, turns to look at him) What are you saying?

GRAHAM: Come on, man. You know it's true. There's nothing for you here.

RILEY: There's her.

GRAHAM: Okay, right, there's her. And? You used to have a mission, and now you're what? The mission's boyfriend? Mission's true love?

(Riley looks at the floor, then walks on, past Graham.)

GRAHAM: You belong with us.

(Riley doesn't reply, keeps walking. Graham watches him go.)

Spike's Crypt: Spike is sleeping in his chair. His front door is kicked up with one big bang. Spike opens his eyes and gets up and sees Buffy enter, mad.

SPIKE: Well, well, well look who's here...thought you be with your boy.

BUFFY: I was...but I had to run a small error. (Pulls out a stake out of her back pocket and walks a bit closer to him with the stake in hand)

SPIKE: Run an error huh? Gonna stake me Slayer? (Scoffs) You have been trying to do that for years...

BUFFY: Yeah...and you been trying to kill me for years too but you are always unsuccessful.

SPIKE: Because of the bloody chip.

BUFFY: Sure it is...I haven't decided to stake you recently because you're harmless but I guess after today I can see that you still are the one always causing trouble and getting in my way.

SPIKE: (Darkly) Well that's who I bloody am baby...trouble.

BUFFY: (Steps closer) Now it's time to stop playing games.

SPIKE: Fine...no more bloody games...kill me.

BUFFY: (Confused) What?

SPIKE: It's what you want...so...do it. Kill me.

(Buffy stares at Spike for a minute and raises her stake but Spike doesn't move)

SPIKE: (Looks into her eyes) (Rolls his eyes) (Mumbles) Bugger it.

(Spike grabs Buffy's waist close to him and starts to kiss her. Buffy doesn't refuse and starts returning the kiss. They continue kissing for a minute until Buffy pulls back but her hands are still on his shoulder. Both of there eyes are closed and then they open them and look at one another for a minute and then Buffy slowly brings her lips down to Spike and they continue kissing passionately. While kissing Buffy rips Spike's shirt off and runs her hands down his back; Spike lifts Buffy up and she responds by wrapping her legs around him and they continue kissing. Spike tumbles backwards and falls to the ground with Buffy on top of him. They are no longer kissing. Spike and Buffy stare into each others eyes and Spike takes his hand and runs it through her hair for a moment and then they continue kissing.)

TBC...what do you think?