Title: End of Days

Chapter: Chapter One - The Beginning

Author: Queen Akasha

Rating: R in some chapters

Summary: B/S. My alternate Season Seven. Written before the end of season six, so AU from about Normal Again. That ridiculous 'AR' never happened. Sunnydale is threatened by an Apocolypse (you're kidding - how unusual). Giles finds a prophecy that mentions Spike, but he's gone. Buffy and Spike have to unite to avert the end of days. But can anyone find him?

Disclaimer: Joss is great, Joss is good, let us thank him for Spike and Buffy.

Feedback: Yes please!!! This site or Queen_Akasha@telus.net

Spoilers: Up to the end of Season Six

Distribution: Go ahead - make my day. Just let me know...

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Chapter One - The Beginning

"Life's a show, we don't get to rehearse," sang Buffy absently as she lowered the basket of frozen french fries into the bubbling oil. * Oh My GOD! * she thought. * Can't start that again - Spike isn't here to save me! * On that depressing note, she moved over a station and began salting and packaging the fries she had already cooked. *If I never see another potato again it'll be too soon! *

She glanced at the clock for the fifth time in as many minutes. *Clockwatcher! * her conscience prodded her. * I can't help it, * she defended herself to her conscience. * Ten more minutes and I get to take off the hat. * There were so many things in Buffy's life right now that were far from perfect, and it seemed strange that the hat bothered her as much as it did.

Probably what bothered her most was that she had no-one to complain about the hat to. Two months ago, Anya became a vengeance demon again, but, had just recently decided it wasn't for her. Now, Xander and Anya were trying hard to get their relationship back on track. *Train tracks.* thought Buffy inappropriately, but she had felt that the couple were her light at the end of the tunnel, and they turned out to just be a train. Xander and Anya were trying to make things work, but it was touchy just being around them. The least little thing could set Anya off on a tirade of "When you left me at the altar, Xander." Even saying "We're out of milk," would produce a response of "We had milk before you left me at the altar, Xander." Everyone walked on egg shells around them.

Willow, though, was worse. Buffy didn't know how to deal with her best friend after Warren had killed Tara, and Willow, in her rage, had succumbed to black magic. She had almost destroyed Sunnydale before Xander was able to stop Willow by putting himself in harm's way. Willow wasn't able to follow through on hurting him and dissipated the magic. Now she spent all her time brooding in her room. She existed only on the food that Buffy forced her to eat, and rarely spoke. Buffy's heart broke for her but she didn't know what to do.

Dawn was trying to help with Willow. Dawn had taken to spending time with her, trying to get her to talk. Buffy even thought she had heard Dawn one night asking Willow for help with her homework. * If schoolwork doesn't shake Willow out of this depression, * Buffy thought, * Nothing will. *

The traitorous clock finally moved a fraction, and Buffy's shift was over. She raced to discard the hat and neon uniform, and made her way home in the dark. She thought she'd do some patrolling on the way.

She walked by Spike's crypt. Every time she saw it, she was assaulted by memories and regrets. She hadn't seen him for sixty three days now, not that she was keeping track. She could still hear his voice as he said "Slayer, you might not always have me around to be your whipping boy." She hadn't believed that he would go, but that was actually the last thing that he said to her. She had gone to his crypt to ask him to take care of Dawn during the crisis with the Troika, only to find Clem there. When asked where Spike was, Clem good-naturedly replied, "He said he was going to find something. Himself, I think." When Buffy asked him where, Clem scratched his floppy ears and answered, "I think somewhere in Africa."

Every day since then Buffy tried hard not to think of Spike, and failed miserably. He invaded her thoughts during the day, and haunted her dreams at night. His lips. His tongue. His fingers. And ALL the rest of him. The dreams were almost painfully erotic, and often ended abruptly, leaving her to awaken with sheets tangled between her legs, and usually so aroused that all she had to do was touch her throbbing clitoris to stimulate an unsatisfying orgasm. Even in her dreams, Spike was the best lover that she had ever had and could ever have imagined.

The night was quiet. * No vamps to dust *, she thought. If she was tired enough, maybe she could keep the dreams at bay. No chance tonight. Buffy turned towards home.

Buffy walked up the stairs towards her front door. It seemed that there were lights blazing in every room. * Dawn! * thought Buffy, * How many times do I have to tell her that electricity costs money! * She walked in the door prepared to lecture Dawn about the high price of wattage, when she heard a familiar voice.

"Just black, thank you, Dawn, and a touch of sugar if you would." Buffy excitedly burst into the kitchen to find Giles encamped at her table, with Dawn pouring tea, and Willow actually downstairs and not in her room.

"Giles!" she gasped, hugging him tightly from behind. "You're here! I can't believe it."

"Believe it, Buffy," he replied. "I've missed you so." He stood up and enveloped her in a huge and comforting hug. "I just couldn't stay away."

After plying Giles with tea and deep fried pies left over from DMP, Buffy asked him, "Why didn't you call and let us know that you were coming?"

"Well, Buffy," the Watcher answered, "We've got a bit of a problem. I had to get here as soon as possible. The Council has discovered a prophecy that we believe pertains to another Apocalypse."

"Another Apocalypse?" Dawn and Willow chorused. "Wow," said Buffy. "It never ends does it?"

"No, I'm afraid not," Giles replied seriously. "Now, can you please call Xander, Anya and Spike? We need them here as well."

"Um, Giles, um, Spike is, well, um," Buffy hesitated.

"Spike colored himself gone," Dawn said helpfully.

"Gone?" Giles said unbelievingly. "And where has Spike gone off to this time?"

"Africa?" Willow answered hesitantly. Buffy didn't even know that Willow was aware of Spike's departure - she had been so zoned out since Tara died.

"Well, there's nothing for it but to find him and get him back," Giles spoke decisively. "Buffy, we must make some phone calls. We'll track him down."

TBC