AN: Here it is, your happier alternate. I will put up alternate chapters (34) and (35/epilogue). I was going to make you guys suffer for a week before I did but I was so confused by a couple of guest reviews that I had to put it up now to ask them what they were talking about.

To pretty girl swag: I'm sorry darling but I don't know what you were trying to say at all. Why will your mom kill you? I'm very confused.

To KRL: Did you not like the fact that Spike died or the fact that they forgot everything when they were brought back? Or did you not understand why they had to forget everything? I don't know what was unfulfilled and I would like to fulfill it.

To my other reviewers: I thank you very much and I'm more than happy that you want both endings.

Review and let me know what you think because I love you. Yeah, that's why.

Also, for guest reviewers, I won't be able to message you once I finish so if you could elaborate thoughts I'd appreciate it.

Where we left off: Buffy made it to the mansion where the 'mafia' vampires were keeping Spike. She killed their leader Drogan and set the house on fire too. She found Spike and just beat the vampire that bit Spike into an unconscious pulp. Woo!

"Oh god Spike." She knelt down, dropping her stake, and wrapped her arm around his body, flinching as he did.

"I'm fine pet. Let's just get out of here." He started to use Buffy's body to help himself stand but yelled out at the movement. Buffy ignored asking if he was fine again because she knew he had too much pride to say anything.

"Well I kind of burned that way down." She said with a small smile towards the door.

"My little pyro." Spike tried to wink but found his eye was already closed too much due to the swelling. She ignored his comment but instead leaned in for a very quick gentle kiss on his bottom lip. She was too happy that he was alive and she couldn't help herself.

"The window it is." She said as she started to support Spike on his way over. He hobbled with her and grunted as he went but didn't object out loud.

Buffy pushed open the window and looked out to see the grass below. They were only on the first story so it was only a few feet down but she was sure it would be a lot farther for Spike in his current state. Also from the window she could see the smoke billowing into the sky. The house had definitely caught. That must have been why no one had come after her. She could also see some vampire bodies jumping from the house and running back towards where the young vamp had brought her from. For some vamps it was already too late and their body dissolved before it hit the ground. Off in the distance she could see the forest surrounding the mansion. That was probably their best bet for not running into any other vamps. They must have traveled far for there to be a forest.

"Come on. I'll help you down." She turned to Spike who tripped slightly forward and landed in her outstretched arms. "See, I got you. Come on." She said trying to be soothing as she started to help him climb out. They both made it to the ground in one piece and she grabbed him as best as she could, trying to lead him from the mansion. The woods were only a hundred feet away and they needed to get there soon.

Spike was biting his tongue down to keep the pain inside. Each breath made it feel like his chest was doomed to collapse. He gripped tightly onto Buffy using her as his anchor. Adrenaline was pumping through him making it easier for him to run.

Buffy sighed in relief after they reached the woods. She used herself and the trees to help Spike move into the dark cover until they couldn't be seen. She was sure a vamp would be able to smell them though, if one came by. Her instincts told her no vamp would. They would all be too concerned about the fire and the death of their leader. It would be chaos out there.

Turning towards Spike, who was still gripping onto her, she could for the first time actually see how badly he was hurt. In the moonlight coming in from between the trees above she could see his face with one eye swollen almost completely shut. The bruises were forming quickly and they were dark. There were cuts on his temple, probably caused from hitting the ground. She knew he was hurting in the chest from the way he was standing and using her for support. She could only imagine how badly that was bruised. She could also see the two puncture wounds on his lower neck. Blood was seeping through but it didn't look like too much was pouring out.

Spike noticed Buffy's scrutiny and shook his head slightly. "I'm fine pet." He breathed out a little shakily. "Nothing I haven't had before." He laughed out a bit but winced when he did so feeling the pain in his chest again.

"I could kill you." She said with a shake of her head. "Come on, we need to get out of here. You're in no position to fight and there are tons of vamps around."

"Thought we weren't doing death threats." She looked up into his face and felt a new wave of pain herself. She couldn't imagine how much pain he must have gone through in that time she was looking for him. If only she had gotten there sooner.

"Spike, I-" She began to apologize for being so late but he cut her off.

"You don't look so good yourself." He reached out and touched one of her cheeks, bringing it out for her to see the red dripping down. She didn't even realize she was hurt. "You didn't get bit did you?"

"No but you did." She reached out and pulled back his jacket to carefully reveal the two new puncture wounds he obtained.

"Damn this being human. I forgot what that felt like." She started to lead him away and he followed ignoring his pain knowing they had to get out as soon as possible. There was no way he was going to put her in danger again.

"It has to be karma." Buffy laughed at his scoff as she led him through the woods back in the direction she knew she would lead back to London. The path the boy took her was mostly straight and she was sure she could figure it out until Spike recognized where they were. They had a few hours before Melanie would come and she figured Spike would want to spend it lying down in a bed rather than in the woods.

"Karma's a bitch."

It took them a while to get out of the woods and back on the path to London without being seen and with Spike using Buffy as his crutch but they made it. The walk took just as long to get back into London, a little longer due to the hobbled pace and stops Spike needed. Spike recognized where they were and easily led them back to the library and the council finding it harder and harder to ignore his pain.

They let themselves inside of Norman's home and Spike quickly walked towards their bedroom, using the walls to make sure he wouldn't fall. Buffy double checked the alley for any stray vamps but found none so she ran back after him. It had been a hard walk home and she was trying not to let Spike see how nervous she was about his injuries. He wouldn't heal nearly as fast as she would and she wasn't sure if the injuries would follow him into the future.

When she found Spike he was sitting on their bed shucking off his jacket as best he could. With every motion he made a new sound of pain would escape his lips. She ran over and started to help him take it off, pulling the pillows together to make a place for him to sit up and rest without having to use his own pained muscles.

"Thanks pet." He groaned out trying to take off the rest of his layers. Everything was rubbing against him the wrong way against his kicked in chest.

"Here let me help." Buffy shook her head and started to unbutton Spike's vest, blushing slightly at the memory of how quickly it came off in the barn. She suppressed the thought and continued to help him rid of his layers until it was just his usual skin tight black tee and pants. Slowly she lifted up his shirt without touching him to see what mess laid underneath. "Spike." She gasped at the sickening display before her. It looked like a horse stomped all over him he was so bruised and beaten. "What'd they do to you?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." He wanted to push down her hands and the shirt so she wouldn't have to see him like this but the thought of moving his arms quickly up made him cringe.

"I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

"No I do." She gently laid the shirt back down and reached out for his hand intertwining their fingers. "I shouldn't have let them take you in the first place."

"It's not like I was much help." He looked down at their joined hands and started to circle his thumb on the back of her hand. He snaked his other hand over to rest on top sucking in the pain for the heat of the touch. "Me just being a weak little human and all. I might as well have been the whelp. I was of just as much use to you."

"Spike would you just shut up?" Buffy squeezed his hand on top of hers with her own, hoping they weren't bruised too. "No one would have seen them coming. I mean the London vampire mafia? Really?" Spike managed a small smile at her laugh and squeezed her hand back. "And besides you were fine until they all ganged up on you."

"How did you manage to find me anyway?" He was trying to change the subject off his failure.

"With a lot of threats. You'd be proud of me." She smiled wide at the smile he pushed across his own face.

"I'm always proud of you. Who'd you have to threaten?"

"Pretty much everyone. With this mostly." She pulled her hand off Spike quick enough to dig out his silver lighter and tip it open and closed. Spike's face pulled into his familiar smirk as he reached up, ignoring the pull on his chest and grabbed it from her.

"You little minx." He wondered how she got that. "I'm starting to think you really are a pyro."

"Yes but I'm your pyro." Spike placed the lighter on the bed next to him and snaked a hand up her arm to brush back the hair clinging to her face. He pushed it back behind her ear and started to make small circles on her cheek, smiling when she leaned her face into his hand.

"Yes you are." With that he pulled her slightly forward bringing her face to his. Softly he pulled her down until their lips met, careful that she wouldn't lean against his chest, and gently started to kiss her. Her free hand ran extra cautiously up his arm until she found the side of his neck that hadn't been bitten. She squeezed down gently with her fingers trying to control herself in the kiss, not wanting to hurt him anymore than he already was. He smiled against her mouth and he let out a small chucked making her pull back.

"What?"

"I used to get your heart racing with fighting. Now I can do it with a simple snog."

"You can do a lot more than that." She suggestively giggled back at him gripping tighter onto his shoulder.

"Too bad I'm all banged up. I really would like to test that theory." He brushed back more of her hair that didn't want to stay behind her ear. She blushed at him before responding.

"Maybe when we get back."

"Promise?" She nodded as she leaned back in and moved her mouth against his, more rough than she had before. He didn't complain and instead met her pace crushing his lips against hers. Images of what he wanted to do to her started rushing through his mind as his tongue slipped forward. She opened her mouth to him and as he leaned forward to get a better grip he groaned out at the pain. She abruptly pulled back and gave him a worried look. He pouted at the disappointment of not getting to do what he wanted and leaned back into his pillows.

Buffy moved closer to him, desperately wanting to wrap him up in her arms and take away his pain. He was trying so hard to fight it but she could see it.

"We should probably get you washed up shouldn't we?"

"No. We only have a few hours left and I'd rather you stuck around." Spike smiled again at the blush he could bring to her face. "Besides, I'll heal up quick when we get back. Vampire perks."

"I'm sorry you have to come back with me." She couldn't help but feel that way. She knew that if he stayed, he would be human. With the way he acted today there was no denying that was what he wanted. She just wanted to give him what he wanted. "Maybe we could talk to Melanie. Maybe she would let you stay here as a human."

"One less thing for you to worry about huh slayer?" He tried to joke put knew he sounded put-off. A part of him knew the slayer was just trying to look out for him but the doubts still crept in his mind. Maybe she really didn't want him back with her because of what he would turn into.

"No that's not what I meant." The hurt was evident in Buffy's voice.

"I know." He gripped her hand to reassure her. "I doubt she will. The wish was for both of us. Don't think it works without the other."

"I guess but maybe we could talk to her. Threaten her." Buffy tried to smile and appeal to his vampire side but all it got her was a small sad grin from him.

"Even so pet, I don't think I'd want to. I don't know what I'd do here by myself."

"You'd miss me too much?" She laughed but he didn't.

"Something like that."

"Well you could do anything you want here." She didn't really want him to stay and she didn't mean to sound like she was pushing it on him but he really did have this option. How could he give it up just to be a vamp battling with her again?

"Not really fair. I know what's going to happen. What kind of life are you living when you know the future?"

"Well maybe we could ask her to turn you human in the future?" She knew she was reaching now but if they could get it to be so, if Spike was human in their future, it could change everything. Everything would be so much easier.

"Out of the goodness of her demon heart?"

"She seemed to like you."

"Well I can't help being irresistible." Buffy laughed and started to slide her hand up onto his face gently rubbing the parts of his face that didn't have cuts or bruises. He started to zone out, dropping his own hand from her face and placing it back on the bed. He was thinking about what she was saying and trying to understand why it was a bad idea. He knew it wasn't what he wanted. Sure, he wanted to be with Buffy more than anything and being human was probably the only way she would be with him but he wouldn't be very good as a human. "No…I've lived too long. I wouldn't know how to live like a human."

"You could learn again."

"And you'd be the one teaching me?" He raised his eyebrows at her ignoring the pull of pain on his skin.

"Obviously."

"I don't know love. What use am I as a human? I mean just look at what happened."

"You can't blame yourself for this Spike." They had no weapons and they had no idea that the vamps would be there so she really didn't understand how he could keep beating himself up. "You know what happened was just an accident. I know you can hold your own in a fight. And besides, you're of use to me."

"Yeah real useful. That's why I'm the damsel in distress saved by the slayer and her mighty lighter." He picked up the lighter from the bed and twirled it around throwing it back down forcefully causing it to bounce and land on the other side. He didn't mean it like he wanted to be the one saving her. He knew Buffy was her own woman and was no damsel but he also knew he wasn't one for being saved if he could help it. Buffy started to laugh out loud and he started to get irritated at the sound. "What?"

"I-I just-" She had trouble talking between trying to keep a straight face and bursting out laughing. "I was picturing you in a fluffy pink dress yelling 'save me, I'm trapped in the tower by the evil queen'!" She laughed even harder at the scowl that crossed Spike's face.

"You better watch it missy." He pointed a finger in her direction which only made her laugh harder.

"Or what? You'll -" Her words were cut off they Spike wrapping his hand around the back of her head and smashing her face down onto his. He ignored the pain again and gripped her tight to keep her mouth on his and he silenced her taunts with his lips. He grazed her teeth against her bottom lip and smiled out at the small moan escaping from her lips. That got her quiet.

"If I were to find a way to be human again and I did it, do you think you could ever forgive me? For all that I did as William the Bloody."

"Spike, I've already forgiven you. I know why you killed. You didn't do it for the thrill or fun like you tell people. You did it for the control. To be on top for once because all your life people kicked you down. You were a vampire. Keeping that in mind I do. You could change. You could be something if you tried."

"You really think I could be something?"

"I do. I believe in you Spike." Spike felt a heart wrenching pull in his chest from her confession. The slayer believed in him. Nothing would have made him feel happier. "What are we going to do? When we get back I mean." She wasn't sure if she meant about getting him back to being human or if it turned out he was back to his old self.

"I think we'll figure it out when we get there."

Either way the answer was the same.

"Does that mean you'll want to remember?" She moved her hand resting on his face to lower down to their fingers intertwined, rubbing her own circles with the pads of her fingers.

"Being human for a day, snogging and making love to the slayer? Yeah I think I'll want to remember that."

Buffy smiled out when he said 'making love'. She never thought she would have heard that come out of his lips. She thought shagging was one of the only terms he knew. "I think I'll want to remember that too."

"Well I'm a hard one to forget." He winked at her, best he could. For as long as he had known Buffy he never pictured himself in this situation with her. The realization of where they were and how they were acting with each other made him smile wider. "This trip, even though I got stabbed, and I got bit, and we fought, it doesn't matter. I'm so glad I made that wish. I'm glad it happened even if you're not. Or weren't. This day has been the best day of my entire existence and I will not forget it. I don't want you to forget it either. No matter what happens when we get back, just remember how I am now. Don't think of me just as the evil William the Bloody. Just please let a small part of you remember. I really do have these thoughts and feelings normally but…you know...vampire. But I want to be better for you so, let yourself believe I can. I know you said you believe in me and I don't want to lose that Buffy. I need you."

"I won't forget. I promise. I need you too." Spike smiled wide at her and made a motion for her to join him on the bed fully. She walked around to the other side and slipped herself up beside him nervous to put any weight down. He reached out with his arm and wrapped it around her pulling her closer and pulling her head down to rest on his shoulder. There was a small pain at the motion but having Buffy close was worth it. She wrapped up next to him folding in on herself so she wouldn't touch his beaten torso. With his hand he started to pet her head again.

"No one is going to believe us." Spike said to the top of her head. How could they? They were supposed to be enemies and they very much so acted like it before. In only a few days everything changed.

"I don't believe us." Buffy said with a smile and a slight yawn.

"Are you tired pet?"

"No." Another yawn betrayed her. "Well maybe a little. We've been up for almost a full day."

"Well don't go sleeping on me or I'll never be able to."

"Why is that?" Buffy reached around and grabbed his free hand with her own as he continued to pet her.

"You snore."

"I do not!" He bit back a giggle at her defensiveness. She playfully slapped at the hand she just grabbed. "Tell that to my ears! I've had to listen to it for the past three nights."

"Maybe it's your own snoring."

"I don't snore. I don't breathe."

"Well...shut up." She brought her head down back into his shoulder embarrassed at her embarrassment. He only chuckled but let it go, continuing to pet her head and hold her hand. They sat like that in the dark of the room for a long time just enjoying the warmth of each other's bodies on the cool night.

"Spike?" Buffy quietly called out, her voice groggy from the lack of sleep.

"Yes love?" He kissed the top of her head and rested his own on top of hers.

"Were you really obsessed with me as much as you said you were?" She asked with a small smile wanting to laugh at how stupid that must have sounded.

"Why do you ask?" The answer was yes but Spike still had a bit of pride. He didn't actually want to admit to it like that.

"It just…It reminds me of something you said earlier."

"What was that?"

"Being consumed by a person." Her hand weaved into his and she picked it up to watch as his fingers draped over hers. He was watching their hands too.

"With the kicking and the scratching?" He smiled at the memory of what she was talking about. He lifted his head from hers when he felt her move under him. She turned slightly to look him in the eyes with a small smile on her face.

"It's blood. It's not safe."

"Passion and need."

"It's taking a chance."

With that Spike dropped her hand and quickly scooped up her face to bring her into another kiss. No more words were needed. It was clear what she was trying to say. How it was possible he didn't know but the slayer loved him. And he loved her back.

Countless minutes passed as they both touched what parts of the other they could without causing pain or getting too worked up as to forget about the pain. Emotions kept running and they were being expressed as best they could through touch.

Of course, as humans, they eventually needed to stop to remind themselves to breathe. Both smiled at the other and laughed simultaneously.

"I love you Buffy." Spike laughed out when their kiss broke.

"I love you too Spike."

The rest of the night was filled with crushing kisses, laughs, playful teases, and eventually sleep. Buffy curled up being too tired to stay up another second and slept silently on Spike's shoulder. He didn't want to sleep. He wanted to keep this as long as he possibly could because he didn't know what he could face in the future. So he stayed up and watched her sleep, petting her and rubbing circles on her hand, for as long as he possibly could. Then out of no volition of his own everything dissolved away.

AN: See Spike's not dead! Not that he was in the first one either. Okay he was, but he was brought back. In a way. Anyway, I hope you liked at least one of the two. Or both if you are feeling extra loving.
Chapter 35 Alternate will be up soon.