Chapter One

Buffy woke in a sweat it was the seventh night in a row that she'd had the dream. It went something like this:

Buffy is dancing with the Immortal when all of sudden she sees something out the corner of her eye, she stops dancing and then starts making her way through the crowd, following the movement of what she had seen. She gets outside, not sure which way the thing went, then she looks up and right across the road stands the hottest English vampire, leaning against a wall, cigarette in hand. She walks over to him, not believing that it is really him. She needs to make sure. As she takes a last step towards him, now only a couple of inches between them, those amazing blue eyes glance down and stare directly into her emerald green ones. He drops his cigarette, lifting his right hand to place it on her left cheek, moving his other hand to her lower back and pulling her body closer to his, the warmth of hers making him feel alive. Their noses meet and they gently rub them together, each longing for one another. Buffy shivers as Spike moves his hand up her spine, she closes her eyes, trying to control herself. Running his fingers through her golden hair, Spike leaned in to kiss the woman who he spent all his time thinking about. As they kiss one another the whole world seems to slip away and everything is perfect...

Then she wakes up. Buffy didn't know what to do, she even started to daydream about him.She didn't know why though as she knew he was dead(still no one had told herthat he was alive).The Immortal lay sleeping beside her. She was starting to hate herself again. She was using the Immortal just like she had used Spike, only her and the Immortal were an official couple. She had liked him at first, but she was no longer satisfied. Buffy was doing more training now than ever. Training was the only thing that she could do to be free of the evil thoughts and feelings that plagued her mind. She got up and decided she would do some training.

In L.A.

Spike woke up with a start. His heart was racing, which he still found as a weird sensation. The fact that he was now human, still hadn't sunk in. Well ok, not entirely human, he still had super-strength and eternal youth, but at least now he had a pulse and a reflection. God how he missed Buffy. He had been dreaming about her ever since Andrew had come to L.A. to get that psycho slayer. Well, he had just seen Willow a few weeks ago, when she came to help with the apocalypse, and apparently Buffy was still with that wanker the Immortal. I mean, come on, the Immortal. What kind of name is that. You'd think that someone who'd been around for as long as he has could pick a better name. The dream had been more vivid than the day before. He got up and went for a shower. There was a knock at the door and Spike answered it wearing nothing but a towel wrapped round his waist. Seeing who it was he left the door open and walked into his living room.

"Why the hell are you here?" Spike asked his grand-sire.

"There's trouble," Angel replied.

"Your point. There's always trouble. And since when can you not handle it on your own?"

"Spike are you coming or not?"

"Not, oh poofish one."

"Spike!"

"Well, aren't you going to leave?"

"I'll see you tomorrow."

"No you won't, I won't be here tomorrow."

"Where are you going?"

"Away."

"You're going to go to Rome, aren't you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know. Now piss off, I'd like to get dressed in privacy, I know you're into that sort of thing, but my answers no."

"If we were still vampires I'd stake you."

"Well we're not, so sod off."

Angel left Spike's place, slamming the door behind him. The ponce git, what a complete wanker, thinks he's so much better than everyone else. Although, he had given Spike a great idea, Spike had just planned to go to a bar and get drunk, but now he was going to take the next flight to Rome. He was tired of not being able to see Buffy. He had to tell her how he feels.

Rome

Buffy was in the middle of doing Tai Chi when a familiar carpenter walked in.

"Hey Xand," Buffy said, taking a final stretch before walking over to her friend.

"Hey Buffster. Training again, huh? Don't you think you should ease up a little,I meanyou've been working alot the time lately,"

"Xander,I can't just slack off, I've got responsibilities and you never know when the next big bad could come along and the others they are really in serious need of training I saw one of them the other night, she was so sloppy, the vamp would've killed her if I hadn't been there. And what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in Africa?"

"I was but I'm here now, I missed you Buff. I know you havework to dobut Dawnie told me thatwork is all you do, she told me that you've even blown off the Immortal a few times now. Buffy are you ok?"

"Yeah I'm fine. Sorry Xander. Its just... I don't know. Things have just been different. You know?" Buffy said,not wanting to tell Xander what the real problem was.

"Yeah I know," Xander replied.

"The gang's all split up, there's a lot less demon activity, there's nothing to do anymore. The funny thing is, this is what I always wanted, you know, a normal life. Now that I have it I... I kinda wish I was the only slayer again. Well ok, I guess Faith could still be a slayer too but... God, I'm so selfish,"

"Buffy you're not selfish. You're the least selfish person I know, you gave your life to save this world. It's natural for you to feel that way. You were an only child and you've been chosen for nearly a decade now. Then all of a sudden you have Dawn and all these other slayers. To go from 'one girl in all the world' to be one of many girls, that's gotta be a rough transition."

"Xander, I think I'd like to be alone for a while, there's just some stuff I need to figure out," he turns to leave, "and Xander,"

"Yes Buffy,"

"Thanks."

"No problem. See you later."

"See you later" Buffy echoed quietly.