A/N: Okay this is after "As You Were." And I'm going to ignore everything that happens afterthat episodebecause in the end Buffy and Spike arenot togetherand I'm not writing that. So take it or leave it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy the Vampire Slayer. They belong to the genius Joss Whedon. Let us bow down shall we?

Buffy Summerswasn't exactly cheerful as she opened the door of the Magic Box. She'd had broken up with Spike the night before after he was tied to a plot, Buffy's ex,Riley was investigating. She was still a bit upset. To think she actually started tohave feelings for yet another vampire! But she had now learned the lesson Angel had taught her almost three years ago.

Vampires don't love, they only hurt.

She should've known that Spike would only hurt her in the end. Every time she saw him, every time she kissed him, her mind hissed that but she had ignored it. Just so she could feel. She felt so selfish. She regrettedever touching him.

But no one knew.

No one, except Tara and Riley, had a clue that Buffy and Spike had somewhat of a relationship. Buffy liked it better that way. She knew Tara would keep her secret, Riley was probably out of the country, and no one would ever have to know since it was over. Buffy smiled a bit. It was the only good thing about this whole thing. She saw Anya, owner of the Magic Box counting the money in the register with Xander stocking shelves. Willow was at the round table near the back with a book open in front of her. Buffy frowned a bit. Ever since Willow and Tara had broken up, Tara was never around. She had to admit, she missed Tara a bit.

"Hey Buffy." Willow said, hearing the bell.

"Hey." Buffy replied. Xander turned away from his stacking.

"It's the Buffster!" he said. "What's up?"

"Still reeling from last night." Buffy confessed. "Who knew Spike was the Doctor?" she asked. Anya looked up.

"Well he is a vampire. Vampires tend to do evil stuff like that." Willow nodded.

"Yea, Anya has a point, I mean it is Spike. He should've been the first suspect on the list." Buffy was about to defend him when she realized if she did that it would raise suspicions. To her, he was Spike, the okay vamp. But to her friends Spike was an evil vampire who if the chip in his head came out the world would end. She really needed to remember that.

"Yea. He did look kinda surprised. I hope he's not becoming some kind of actor." she said.

"He already has a stage name." Anya pointed out. Buffy rolled her eyes.

"I'm just glad Riley is gone." Buffy said, sitting down at the table. "Him and commando wife." she trailed off.

"Well he's gone now, so think about how he missed out on marrying you, the great and powerful slayer." Willow offered. Buffy smiled a bit.

"Thanks Wil, but I survived Angel, I can handle it." she said. Buffy peered over to what Willow was reading. "Whatcha reading?"

"A book on the Suvolte demon, seeing what kind of conditions it has to have. You know in case there are more around here." Buffy nodded.

"I don't thinkthere are any more, or else Riley and Sam would've stayed." Xander said.

"True." Willow said. "But where's there one, there's always another somewhere." Buffy nodded.

"I wouldn't be surprised if more sprung up." Buffy added. The bell on the door jingled as a person entered. Everyone turned to see who it was.

It was Tara.

Willow grew a bit nervous. She tried to busy herself so she wouldn't have to talk to her ex. Xander smiled.

"Hey Tara." Tara gave a small smile.

"Hey everyone." she turned to Buffy. "Buffy can I talk to you for a minute?" Buffy cocked her head but nodded and followed Tara out the door.

"What's up?" she asked Tara.

"Just wondering on how you were with the Spike issue." Tara said. Buffy recalled how Buffy had cried, with Tara comforting her.

Let's just say it wasn't her best moment.

Buffy could see why Tara would want to check up on her.

"We're not seeing each other anymore." Buffy stated.

"Oh."

"Yea, there was this whole thing with Riley and everything..."

"Riley came back?" Tara asked.

"Yea, he's married now. Turned out Spike was this Doctor guy, haboring all these killer eggs. If they would've hatched, we wouldn't be talking." Buffy said in a nutshell. Tara nodded.

"I also came to ask if you saw the paper."

"Nope, I had to get Dawn to school." Tara frowned.

"Then I suggest you look at this." Tara held up the paper. Buffy took it and scanned the front page. The police had captured some eggs they had suspected were illegal. They were brownish grey and scaly. And were surrounded by yellow goo. Buffy's chest tightened.

The police had Suvolte demon eggs.

Buffy rushed in with the newspaper.

"The police have more eggs." she said out of breath. Everyone looked up at her in shock.

"You mean actually have them? Like in the station?" Willow asked.

"Most likely."

"We'll need to break in." Anya said.

"Xander?" Buffy asked Xander hopefully. Xander nodded.

"Where's Giles when you need him?" Buffy muttered. She needed to be in charge now. "Okay. Willow, can you look up who the eggs were taken from and where? Maybe we can figure out who has been passing these eggs out." she paused. "And tonight we'll break in and destroy the eggs." she finished.

"How do we destroy the eggs?" Xander asked.

"Well Riley and I killed the eggs by shooting them, but we don't have guns." Buffy said. Now that was a problem. She turned around to look at what could be used. Her eyes fell on a hammer that she had taken off a giant that was one of Anya's exs. "I think the hammer should do that trick, give or take a couple swords." Xander nodded.

"What about me?" Anya asked. Buffywas unsure. Anya wasn't the brightest person in the bunch so to say.

"You can be our alibi." Xander said, coming to Buffy's rescue. Anya smiled.

"I like the sound of that."

"So we're agreed?" Buffy asked. Everyone nodded. Buffy smiled.

"So who's hungry?"

I hope that sounded like the characters! I know it kinda sucked but I needed to set upthe plot abit.But trust me there will be spuffyness but I'm gonna set up the plot and THEN get to the romance.

Please review if you want more!