AN: Ok so here's the next part of the story. It starts off following Buffy and shows the reason she was in Angels office in the previous chapter. This all happens whilst Spike's talking to Fred in her lab. So it describes what was happening and about Buffy's problem and the prophecy. I hope you're not confused. I promise you wont be when you start reading it, you'll get what i'm trying to explain. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

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Disclaimer: Joss owns all things Buffy!...

Connected

Previously...

"Is that... is that what's happening when you keep vanishing?"

"I know what's down there—where it's trying to take me—and it's not the place heroes go. Not by a bloody long shot. It's the other one. Full of fire and torment. And it's happening. And I'm terrified." he faced Fred "Help me?"

At that moment Wesley and Gunn came through the door. "Spike its Buffy, she needs to tell you something" Gunn announced.

"It would appear that something else has happened since you saved Sunnydale" Wesley added "A certain prophecy was fulfilled"

"What the bloody hell are you yammering on about? What's wrong with Buffy?"

"Come on Spike, lets go. I think i know what they're talking about" Fred said softly as they all turned to leave the lab...

(Earlier that day)

Buffy was extremely bored. Spike had pulled another vanishing act, like he does at the moment. One minute he's right in front of you and the next...poof...he's gone. Buffy would have been concerned, but Spike assured her he was doing it himself. Although this time when he reappeared his face was that of shock, she would almost say he looked scared. She didn't have time to ask him any questions as he rushed off to find Fred, he said to see if she knew anything abut their ghost condition, but Buffy suspected there was more to it than that.

So once again she was roaming the endless corridors of Wolfram and Hart. She had no idea that she was about to find a shocking discovery...

It first happened when she was talking to Harmony at the reception. The vampire had started asking her questions about how the people at Sunnydale were doing as if she actually cared. Buffy knew she just wanted to know about Spike, who she still annoyingly nicknamed her Blondie bear, but the slayer answered all her pointless questions none the less. It wasn't until a strange smell filled her nose that Buffy changed the topic.

"What's that smell?" Buffy asked Harmony

"What smell?" Harmony asked scanning her computer screen with her eyes and printing off various documents.

"I don't know it's weird. Metallic, sorta." she exhaled deeply, but the intake of breath felt slightly odd.

"The only thing i can think of, is you can smell blood, but that sort of scent is normally only smellable to vampires" Harmony explained, sounding very knowledgeable for a change.

"Is there any blood around here because i can really smell it "

"We got a fresh shipment of otter an hour ago. The fridges around the place will be fall of the stuff, but even i cant smell it that much, not like Angel and Blondie bear would be able to"

"And why's that?" Buffy asked leaning on the reception counter.

"They're totally old. I mean I've been a vamp for about 5 years, but them, they've been vamps for like ever, they have super senses. Maybe you should talk to them about it, I'm kinda busy" she said picking up the newly ringing phone and answering it.

It was after that Buffy noticed she wasn't right, apart from being incorporeal of course. She was sure even in her ghostly state she should be breathing, but every time she took in air, it felt strangely forced and completely pointless.

The next symptoms of weirdness happened as she walked towards Angels office. She could hear the scratching of his pen across paper even from the other side of the double doors. She could hear his every breathless sigh. She could hear the heartbeats of employees as they passed. Her head was soon filled with every minute sound and it was unbearable. She needed help.

So that's how she found herself in Angels office explaining to him her diagnosis of the problem.

"I think I'm..." she sat on the couch and put her head in her hands.

"What is it Buffy?" Angel asked coming to her side.

"I think I'm a vampire" she replied.

At first Angel said nothing, the cogs obviously turning wildly in his brain. His first instinct was to call Wesley, which he did. The ex-watcher arrived moments later holding various volumes in his arms. He then continued to explain to Buffy that since her arrival he had come across a prophecy.

"Yes i do believe this would explain what you're experiencing Buffy" Wesley said and then he went on to explain further.

The prophecy revealed that when two champions sacrifice themselves willingly, they will in somehow become connected to each other. However the prophecy, like most, was very vague. It didn't say who the champions were, although in the circumstances one could only assume it was Buffy and Spike, it didn't explain how they were to be connected and it didn't explain what the effects would be.

It soon however became evident that Buffy wasn't a vampire. A vampire's true form appears when the demon inside is angry or powered by adrenaline. After several insults from Angel, Wesley and the now present Gunn the severely pissed off slayer remained human looking. There weren't any ridges on her forehead, or yellow eyes, not even sharpened canines. It just left the three men utterly relieved that she was incorporeal because otherwise they would be in for a whole world of hurt.

So it was then decided that Buffy had some how just been connected to the abilities of Spike's demon, not the actual demon itself. This she was relieved about. It was weird enough being able to walk through walls and not being able to touch anything, but being a vampire too, would be too much for her Buffy brain to handle. Of course they would be able to know a lot more about her new abilities if she were corporeal. She could have blood tests and so on, but for now they would just have to settle for the obvious traits.

And then there was Spike.

He was part of this prophecy to. He must have been affected by it as well. Buffy needed to know. She also needed to see him. She was getting that tugging feeling in her heart again. But then she remembered something. When they died in the Hellmouth she felt something in her heart as they both met the amulet. Now she knew exactly how they were connected. It wasn't her heart she could feel, it was her soul. They were connected through each others souls.

She had to tell Spike and she had to be the one to do it. She was feeling so many emotions now. It was amazing that her and Spike were somehow one now especially with the extra abilities, but it was almost terrifying how lonely it felt when he was gone. Especially when he did his vanishing thing. That's when it hurt the most because it doesn't even feel like he exists when he disappears from sight like he does.

"I need to tell Spike. This could be dangerous too. I mean if we're connected, if he gets hurt i could get hurt and visa versa. I can also smell something and you're gonna think I'm crazy, but i can smell fear on him. I can smell him and i don't even know where he is, but i know he's scared."

"You're not crazy" Angel assured her " Vampires can smell emotion on people and they can smell it on vampires of the same family. I can smell it on him to, but like everything to do with Spike i choose to ignore it" he said smiling and Buffy couldn't help but giggle.

"Guy's can you find him for me, let him know we need to talk " she asked Wesley and Gunn. "I'd do it, but i doubt I'll find him before the next millennium"

"Sure thing" Gunn said and both men left the room.

It had been just a few minutes and Spike walked through the doors to Angel's office.

(Back to the present)

The blonde couple came face to face with each other in Angels office. Everyone had swiftly left to give them some privacy.

"Buffy?"

"Spike do you feel different?" was the best thing she could think of to start the conversation.

"How do you mean luv?" Cant he ever just answer the question, Buffy thought.

"Like have you had any extra abilities or something" she clarified for him.

"Not that i can think of..." she looked at him in the eyes, he caved "...well maybe. Why?"

"Well you see there's this prophecy..."

"Yeah the Watcher mentioned something about that"

"And me and you..." she stopped abruptly.

Spike was doing it again. She watched as he began to fade, but now wasn't the time. She had to tell him about the prophecy in case something happened to them. She put her hands on her hips and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Spike can you not pull a Houdini? This is important" she said sternly, but he just looked at her in confusion.

Spike looked down at his body slowly disappearing.

"Oh bugger"

He hadn't even noticed it happening. He wasn't looking forward to this. Every time he did this, he would spend that short time in hell. The fire and torment type though, not the dark abyss kind. And every time he came back he would have to try and persuade Buffy it was all OK.

Fred needed to help him and soon.

Then something happened. A man appeared out of no where. His face pale, his brown hair limp, his eyes dark and lifeless and his outfit victorian. He literally looked like death. He strode towards Spike, a crude knife in hand, and stood by his side. Buffy obviously couldn't see this stranger. But Spike could.

"An eternity of suffering for your sins." the man whispered in Spikes ear, with a similar British accent.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Spike asked, to what appeared to Buffy to be an empty space.

"Spike who are you talking to?" she asked worried.

"Tut tut William, you should know..."

Spike was getting the serious evil vibes off this deathly looking man.

"Go to hell." Spike spat back.

"Spike who's there?" but he ignored her.

"Your journey, not mine" the man retorted letting out an evil chuckle.

"So that's it, isn't it. You're the Reaper come to take me to hell. Well come on then, give it a go..." Spike challenged him.

"In time my boy, but first.. I get to play." he impaled his knife deep into Spike's gut. He yelled with pain and for some reason so did Buffy. They both folded in half with agony as the Reaper turned the knife slowly "Let's get started, then... shall we?" the Reaper whispered putting a hand on Spike's shoulder.

And with that they were gone.

"Spike?" Buffy whimpered to the empty room.

She fell to the floor unconcious...

To be continued...

AN: Dun, dun , dun... I told you this would have some surprises. So Buffy and Spike are somehow connected, Spike's being pulled into hell by the Reaper himself and what extra abilities does Spike have and what's going to happen to Buffy, i left her in pretty bad shape...

Is Spike more human now? Is Buffy less human now?

Find out in the next chapter...

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thanks x