Sorry it took so long! Thank you for all the reviews! I promise it will get finished!

Buffy kept following the mysterious figure, though, she was never able to catch up. He always seemed to stay at least 2 feet ahead of her. It never spoke just lead her into the thicker part of the woods. Something about the figure felt so familiar it like it was someone she knew.
" Wait! " Buffy called trying to keep them in sight. The person always stayed on the edges of her awareness, she stopped and leaned against a tree. The figure stopped moving ahead but did not come back to her. She sighed and looked up trying to make out the sky, but only make it small patches through the tree tops. She could have sworn she had heard Spike's voice and wished to hear it again.

" Spike?" She asked quietly and waited to see a response. The silence continued, and after a few minutes, she stopped waiting. Buffy started walking toward the figure and started walking faster when she finally realized it was now moving toward her as well. Buffy's bedroom door open

~ Back at Buffy's house ~
Willow's eyes began to blur as she stared at the page, she looked up to check on Buffy. Buffy had moved in the last couples of hours; she thankfully stopped bleeding. Willow looked up as Buffy's bedroom door opened, and Oz and Jessie walked in. Oz walked over and put his arm around Willow without saying a word. Jessie just hovered in the doorway.
" How's she doing?" Jessie asked.
" No change." Willow sighed and leaned gratefully in Oz.
" Tara fell asleep, so I'm going to take her home for the night," Jessie said. Willow just nodded and closed her eyes,
" Night Jess," Oz said.
" Night Oz" Jessie replied and headed back downstairs. Willow had begun to doze off when there was a crack the front door flew open. Spike came hurriedly upstairs, nearly knocking Jessie over the banister in his haste. He crashed into Buffy's room; Willow jumped with a shriek. Spike paid her no mind. He quickly removed her shirt and flipped her over.
" What are you doing!" Willow yelled as he unhooked her bra, and then gasped at the glowing tattoo in the middle of her back.
" Willow, We need to get this off now, " Spike said slowly,
" Why?" Willow said shakily.
" It's going to kill her." He said his voice was shaking lightly.
~Buffy~
Buffy was only a few feet way from the figure, as she noticed that it had no defining shape it's just like a moving black shadow, as they grew closer together. The hairs on the back of Buffy's neck stood on in, and she stopped in her tracks. The shadow kept moving toward, reaching a hand toward her. She Despite herself she reached out toward it. The moment their hands touched, Buffy fell to her knees as she twisted and screamed, all her nerves alight with a burning pain. Her muscles spasmed and then the world around her went black.
~ Revello Drive~
There was an uncomfortable silence that filled the living room of Revello Drive. Willow and Tara were busy upstairs on a ritual to remove the tattoo that was killing Buffy. Giles had arrived 20 minutes ago and had refused to tell anyone what he had done with Ryane. They all sat staring at the day walking vampire on the couch, all burning to ask the same question.

" So, are you going to tell us?" Jessie asked, still slightly mad from almost being thrown over the banisters of the stairs.

" Tell you what?" Spike growled, though already knowing the answer.

" What did Ethan mean when he said that Buffy was paying the price for your ring," Giles asked a deadly tone in his voice, standing in the doorway that leads to the kitchen, having made himself a cup of tea.

" He was bloody lying, but I remember something my friend said along the lines of " There are a large number of spells, but the hardest to detect are the ones inked into the flesh." Or some bloody rot like that." He replied not looking up, from his hands.

" I see," Giles said, setting his mug down, so he could polish his glasses. " Whom is this person?" he added

" Calls himself Doc," Spike told him.

"What favor did you-" Jessie asked, and was cut off by Willow and Tara coming downstairs.

" We got the tattoo removed," Willow said brightly

" And she's awake" Tara added pointedly looking at Spike, who already on his feet and halfway up the stairs.