Previously:"There are a few books I have found in relation to this certain prophecy, including the one I accidentally stumbled upon and realised this was going to happen. There is a kind of riddle which links all the information together and lets us know basically what's going to happen. But first we have to work out what it says, it needs to be translated."
Working Hard
Many hours had past and all the Scooby gang were exhausted. Giles however seemed to be full of energy, getting up every ten minutes to scribble something onto the whiteboard. Anya had been busy most of the day serving customers while at the same time she and Xander were organising their wedding guest list. Willow and Tara had been huddled around Willows laptop but were not having much luck, the same was said for Buffy who had managed to fall asleep leaning up against a bookcase at the front of the store. So far they had not worked out much of the riddle, Giles was working on that now, Buffy was meant to be helping but was obviously preoccupied.
"So have you guys found anything else out yet?" Xander asked removing himself from an awkward position where he had been leaning over the counter top.
Looking over her laptop Willow replied "No not yet. Basically just the same stuff, death of the Slayer means Hell will close up…Nothing left."
"I seem to be doing okay with this riddle, I have worked out what language it is in and now I'm starting to translate it. So far I have worked out that this prophecy is not an ordinary one, not in regards to the outcome, but its layout. It seems it was one of the first ever prophesised, so it is the oldest, hence why it is proving hard to translate." Giles said popping his head up from a large tower of books.
"Not as hard as this guest list!" A frustrated Anya said.
"Anya! …It's as hard." Everyone glared at Xander.
The sound of the bell ringing at the front of the store distracted the gang from glaring at Xander. They turned to see a familiar vampire walking through the door.
"Hey Spike, looking for Buffy?" Willow asked barely acknowledging the vampire and staring intently at her screen.
"Yea actually Red, you seen her?"
"Yea you just walked past her, she's up there researching."
"Oh." Spike turned around to see a slumped Buffy sleeping up against the bookcase and moved towards her.
Xander looked horrified "What you doing Will? That's Spike, he's going to kill Buffy!"
"What, no I'm not!" Spike said defending himself and turning to face Xander.
"Huh…Why not?" Xander said confused.
Willow stood up to reassure Xander "Its okay Xander. He's okay now, see." Willow stood up and went over to Spike and embraced him.
Xander still look confused as did Spike for that matter. But Spike explained "I got caught by these army type guys a couple of months ago and they put chip in my head."
"Huh right, okay so why did you come back to Sunnydale?"
"To find Buffy. I decided I wanted to help you guys out, seeming as I got nothing else better to do. And as well Buffy and I kind of hit it off pretty well anyway, so looks like I'm here to stay."
"You and Buffy are together now? Yay this is so exciting!" Willow said looking ecstatic
"So you're not going to kill us then?" Anya asked wanted it clarified.
"Uh no…who are you?"
"I'm Anya, Ex Vengeance demon, I'm marrying Xander." she said cheerfully flashing her engagement ring.
"Right…Erm Congratulations."
"Thanks." Xander said gladly before turning serious again "So you're not going to hurt Buffy then? Because if you do I swear I will…"
"Relax Harris I'm not going to hurt Buffy, I really like her."
"Good! Well anyway." Willow said changing the subject "I think you know everyone except my girlfriend Tara."
"Cool… Hi!"
"Hey." Tara replied with a wave.
Spike walked over to where Buffy was and then said "So is it okay if I take Buffy out patrolling or is she really busy?" He said looked down at her sleeping form "Guess not…"
Giles replied "Um yes, there's nothing else she can do here for the time being."
Spike Leaned over Buffy and shook her gently "Buffy… Buffy?"
Buffy opened one eye, realising the lights where on she pulled her jacket, which she was using for a blanket, over her head shielding herself from the light and moaned.
"Hey Buffy, come on get up."
"I don't want to!"
Spike pulled her jacket back over her head "Hey luv."
"Hey." She said rubbing her eyes.
Spike helped her off the floor "Want to go patrolling?"
"Not really, but yea okay."
"Find anything else out Buffy?" Giles asked from the other side of the room.
"No actually, Sorry."
Willow chimed in "Well you and Spike better go patrolling then, we can work on this tomorrow."
"Sure I'll be here bright and early, see you guys later. Come on you." She said grabbing hold of Spikes arm.
"Don't I get a kiss now?" He said pouting really badly and looking like a little lost boy.
"Don't stick that lip out now or I will have to bite it off." She pulled Spike down by his shirt into a long slow kiss.
Before she realised what she had done she looked up at Spike with a worried look on her face, then to the side to see everyone staring at her, realising she was still holding onto Spikes t-shirt she quickly let go. Giles was the only one who was otherwise distracted; he was cleaning his glasses.
"It's okay Buffy we all know…" Willow offered.
"Oh…How?" She asked questionably, Spike finally giving her, her answer.
"That may have been me."
"It's okay; at least everyone knows…you guys are all okay with this aren't you?"
Everyone nodded except Giles who was still cleaning his glasses; Buffy just took that as a yes.
"Right then, let's get you patrolling." Spike said grabbing Buffy's hand and leading her outside.
"See you guys later!" Buffy added before leaving the Magic Box.
Spike and Buffy had been walking around the cemetery for half an hour and had only got one vampire. Buffy had got a bit tired so they were sat down by a tombstone waiting to see if anymore vamps would show up.
"This is so boring." Buffy stated cuddling up to Spike who put an arm around her shoulders.
Spike looked down at her and jokingly said "Sorry to not be that entertaining luv."
Buffy looked up at him "No its not you. Tonight, it's been really slow you know."
"Yea it's like they are waiting for something…Hey, what are you researching down at the Magic Box…? Or pretending to research anyway?" he said quickly changing the subject.
Buffy gave him a playful shove "Oh its some kind of special prophecy that's going to take place sometime soon, which involves me and the closing up of Hell and stuff no biggy."
"You mean the last prophecy?" Spike said a little concerned.
"Yea you know about it?" Looking into his eyes.
"I've heard about it… That came around quite quick didn't it?"
"I don't know, but that's what we are researching, so do you want to help? We're going back to the Magic Box tomorrow to see if we have got any more info…"
"Sure I haven't got anything else better to do."
"Cool." she said snuggling back up to him "So where are you staying now then, now that you're back in old Sunnydale?"
"At the moment I'm sleeping in a crypt over there." he said pointing to a musty old crypt and Buffy turned up her nose "But actually I am…" He said being interrupted by the girl in his arms.
"You can't stay in that crypt it's all dirty and disgusting and don't think I'm going to visit you if you are staying in there…" The interrupting this time came from Spike, putting his finger on her lips.
"Bloody hell women let me finish! What I was going to say is that I'm currently in the process of buying a place over there." He said pointing to the new bungalow style houses on the other side of the cemetery.
"That is so cool." Buffy replied, obviously much happier with this upcoming accommodation and hugging him "I can help you decorate."
"As long as it's not all pink and flowery I don't mind okay? I don't want a girly house!"
"I wouldn't dream of that! But it's not going to be all black either!" She said firmly.
"Fine okay… Let's get you home, doesn't look like anymore vamps are going to show up and you're really tired."
"Am not." She said trying to cover up the huge yawn she was having, earning a look from Spike "Ok then let's go."
Spike stood up pulling Buffy off the ground and they walked back to Buffy's house talking about Spikes new place.
Buffy then got very fidgety "Hey Spike tomorrow after researching and that, would you like to come back here and meet my mom and sister for like dinner or something? because ill understand if you don't want to, I just thought it would be nice for them to know I have a new boyfriend, I don't like having secrets from them, so would you…but you don't have to…" She finished taking in a large gulp of air.
Spike answered by grabbing Buffy by the waist and pulling her in for a kiss "Sure pet anything for you…"
Buffy kissed him back "See you tomorrow then." She said smiling and pulling him for another kiss.
Buffy watched Spike leave before going inside, realising it was late and deciding to tell her mom in the morning. 'Hope she doesn't mind, She likes having people over anyway and likes to be included in mine and Dawns life's…I hope she likes him…' She thought as she made her way to her room.
