ALL FROM LOVE
Chapter 2: Heart with No Soul
by: PennilessBoho

Setting: Post "Death" in season 6.

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Spike and Willow sat talking for hours, catching up on some of the events that Spike missed. Willow was confessing all she did during her magic overload she had. She trusted Spike, there was something about that rugged, chiseled face, and the familiarity of how evil he was, that made her trust him. He seemed to know what she was going through.

"You know Will, I'm going through the same bloody pain you are. I mean, here I was, in touch with the darkest of hell, wanting to kill everyone, and now, I realized how big of an ass I've been. I know that doesn't make up for any of it, but I mean, I know what it feels like to feel defeated." Spike softly told Willow. The tea they were drinking had gotten cold from all the time they were spending on talking.

The door creaked open, as two female figures walked in from the darkness of night into the dimmly lit home. The smaller of the figures had the biggest smile on her face, from what Spike could tell. The pair walked into the living room to see who was up at this hour. Dawn nearly spilled her drink when she saw Spike sitting on the couch.

"Spike?" She asked, as if the were seeing the love of her life again.

"'Ello kitten," Spike said with a grin. "How's sis here treatin' you?"

"Get out." Buffy blurted. "You aren't welcome here."

"I invited him Buffy." Willow said standing up for Spike.

"Willow? Why on earth would you let a potential rapist in my house?" Dawn's face grimmaced at the sound of that, but it didn't lower her demenor at all.

"Because..." Spike started, he knew that odds were Buffy wouldn't believe him, "Because, I needed a little reassurance that you were ok, from Willow." Spike said as he was putting on his coat. "But now I see that for myself, I'm off." Spike started walking towards the door. Dawn stopping him at the door. She gave him a big hug.

"I'm glad your back." Dawn noticed there was something different about Spike, she couldn't place her finger on it, maybe it was a little ability she has from being the Key, but she knew Spike was different. "I'll see you tomorrow." She wispered in Spike's ear, still hugging him, until Buffy pulled her off.

"Get out now." Buffy demanded.

"Ok, slay... er, Buffy." Spike said, looking down on the ground reluctantly.

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The next day was a slow day. Dawn had a day off from school, so she went to go see Spike. She woke up and went down for breakfast first, where Willow was trying to make a breakfast item of some kind.

"Oh, morning Dawn-y. Hey, I think I know what your going to do today." Willow said with a half-smile on her face.

"Oh really?" Dawn hesitated. She doesn't know what Willow was talking about, but she played along.

"Yes, I know you aren't as stubborn as your sister, and believe me, now's not a time to be stubborn. Go see him, ask him about Africa." Willow said with a wink. Just then Buffy walked downstairs.

"Hey Dawn, whatcha got planned for today?" Buffy asked.

Willow jumped in, "Well Dawn and I were going to have a picnic. We wanted to relax and chat today, we wont be out all day. I promise."

"Ok, that sounds cool. I was going to stop by UC-Sunnydale and ask about re-entering. I need to finish college."

"That's a good idea," Willow said. "I did that the other day. Spots are filling up! Better hurry!"

Buffy took Willow's advice and ran upstairs. The pair took this time to walk out the door, towards the cemetary.

"Willow, what's different about Spike? I mean, there's something different about him right? He seems different, like there's more to him now." Dawn asked.

"Well Dawn, lets just say he has more in common with us now." Willow replied with a smile.

They walked for about ten minutes, the usual length of time it took to get to the cemetary with out being attacked by anything. The clouds were out today. It was a relatively beautiful day outside, and Dawn sucked in all of it. Her face was so lit up with happiness that Willow thought that she was under a spell or something. But Dawn assured her on several occasions she wasn't, she was just happy to be alive, and she showed it, until she got to Spike's crypt. The happiness seemed to turn into a stone face, ready to take any news and not be phased by it. She's learned well how to do that from Buffy.

"Well, glad to see you two." Spike said, avoiding the light that rushed in fromt he room from the open door. "Can I get you anything?" Spike asked, pooring a glass of blood for himself.

"No, thanks." The girls replied. Willow was wondering how a conversation would start. then Dawn just blurted out.

"Do you have a soul?" The words from Dawn's mouth made Spike's eyes water. "Do you? I mean, there's something different. I know there is. So... do you?" Dawn was in tears at the thought of Spike with a soul.

"Yea pet, I do." Spike said reluctantly, he was starting to enjoy the soul he had, aside from the conscious he gained, he enjoyed the true love he felt. He cared for Dawn with all his heart. But not love. Not what he felt for Buffy.

Just then the door to the crypt slammed open. Buffy stood in the sunlight, her silhouette was all you could see the sun was so bright. Spike dove behind a crypt to avoid the light.

"Dawn, what are you doing here?" Buffy asked. She could tell that Buffy came here to beat up Spike for revenge, but she wouldn't let that.

"Willow took..." Dawn started.

"Buffy, it's not what you think, Spike, he has a soul. He got his soul back when he went to Africa." Willow pleaded.

"Is this true William?" Buffy asked, closing the door, letting Spike get up from the hole he was hiding in.

"Yes, Buffy, it's true." Spike was walking towards Buffy, trying to confront her with his news.

"Don't come any closer Spike." Buffy demanded. "Who do you think you are? Are you so deluded by your infatuation for me you try to be like Angel? God, I should've known you could never be the kind of man I needed." Buffy opened the door and stormed out of the crypt.

Spike fell on his knees when he heard what she said. Dawn quickly ran to him, she held him and hugged him. Spike was weeping so hard that his chest felt like it was going to explode. Dawn tried so hard to calm him down, but Spike quickly got up and ran down the ladder to his bed. "Get out!" He yelled, "I need my alone time!" Spike yelled.

"Willow, can you leave us alone? I'll be ok. I know the way home." Dawn asked.

"Of course Dawn, but don't tell Buffy."

"Believe me, I wont." Dawn said with a half smile. Willow quietly walked out the door as Dawn climbed down the ladder. Spike was laying on his back on the bed, moaning with agony.

"Why!? Why do I get cursed with a soul to have my heart ripped out by the one I love." Spike was moaning.

"Spike, she doesn't love you." Dawn whispered. "I know she doesn't. It's nothing against you, its just that she's built it up in herself not to have anymore relationships like Angel's. She wants a normal person." Dawn said, walking over to the bed.

"Why do you care Dawn, what can you possibly know about the love that Buffy and Angel had? You technically weren't even around when it happened." Spike asked, sitting up.

"Because... I have that same kind of love in my heart for you." Dawn said as she took Spike's hand.

End Chapter 2