Disclaimer: I own nothing, not Buffy, not Spike, nothing….but you knew that

They all turned towards Spike, anxiously waiting to hear what it was he thought he knew. He told them about Nicky's late night visit and what he had seen in her mind. He had seen her…Nedda- and she looked exactly like Nicky, or so he thought, but he wasn't exactly sure of what it was he was seeing, then the vision ended and…

"Why didn't you say anything to me?" Buffy asked.

"I WAS a little busy and all that, pet," he smirked, looking sexy as hell to Buffy, with an eyebrow raised up in defiance. Buffy licked her lips and offered a small smile before averting her eyes down to the floor.

"Busy with what- brooding in the basement?" Xander asked finally noticing Buffy's guilty expression as her cheeks flushed to a bright pink.. "oh gross…why'd I ask?'

"I don't BROOD…that's left to larger foreheaded vampires with a soul." Spike quipped, pouting his lips and again making Buffy blush slightly.

"So…um…sorry to interrupt the pun fest, but…has anyone seen Nicky this morning?" Willow asked.

"She was in the yard a few minutes ago," Kennedy jumped in.

Buffy went out back to get her and try to make sense out of the whole situation, besides- she needed to get out of the room for a minute before the questions came. Luckily this situation would keep them busy for a while.

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"Want to tell me what's going on?" Buffy asked, as Nicky slowly turned to face her. "Not that it isn't fun to try to put the puzzle together, but being that I'm all tied up with an impending apocalypse and stuff I just figured you might want to save me some time."

Nicky simply nodded her head in defeat and walked into the house…heading straight for the living room as she did so. Buffy followed quietly behind.

"I heard you all when I came up the stairs this morning, I didn't stop because I had to think of all the things I did that got me to this place. I guess it's time I tell you all the truth."

"You think?" Xander snapped, softening a bit after seeing the hurt look on her face. "sorry…please, keep on."

"I did call on Nedda. I wanted to divide my power…become two people. I was hoping I could get rid of it."

"Get rid of what?" Xander asked, genuinely curious.

"This… 'power' …I was tired of it…tired of the hurt I see in people, tired of the anger, the pain…I couldn't deal anymore, couldn't help anyone, I just want to be…normal."

Buffy turned to her, obviously angered, "How could you be so irresponsible though, delving into powers you don't even understand, how could…"

"You…of all people, YOU should understand. Not knowing, not remembering what it was like, before having this burden brought on. I didn't ask for this…didn't want it. I just wanted a normal life." Nicky lowered her head.

"So what brought you here then…if that whole story was a lie…what really brought you here?" Giles asked, dumbfounded by the whole situation.

Nicky turned back towards Buffy, "you did. I heard about you…and thought you could help. I never intended for it to be like this. I thought I'd divide, that Nedda would get the power and that you'd kill her, but she was stronger than I thought…had power of her own that I didn't even dream of…she wanted to kill me…I ran…she manipulated those vampires to capture me…by killing me she would keep my power."

"So the earthquake then?" Spike asked, no longer confused…just angry, "it was you that did that to Buffy and me? To make us weak?"

"No…I swear! I had nothing to do with that…it was"

"It was me," Giles finished. Looking toward Buffy, I did it. I wanted you to see…"

"You did it? What…setting up Spike with Wood wasn't enough? You couldn't kill him so you thought you'd torture him- and me too?" Buffy was enraged. "How'd you do it?"

"A spell." Willow was frightened as she spoke. She knew that she was treading on thin ice with this one. She had betrayed Buffy, even if she thought she was doing the right thing. "It was only meant to show you who Spike really was…and is. We never meant to …hurt you, I swear…Giles thought…"

"Oh God Willow, not you too…this is too much to deal with. I can't…can't do this right now. Giles…you find out what we can do to stop Nedda…without hurting Nicky in the process. Spike, come with me…I want you to tell me anything you remember about what you saw…where you found Nicky. You're with me tonight…looks like you're the only one left I can trust," she added as she turned and looked at Willow and Giles with Contempt.

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I just wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has stuck by this story, and enjoyed and reviewed it. My heart hasn't really been in it much since the Buffy finale but I'm ready to attempt to gather the pieces of my life that have been torn apart. The story is about 75% finished with an ending in sight, for those of you wondering. Thanks again…

-E