Giles looked at Buffy sternly, who avoided his gaze. "Buffy," he said. "You cannot allow your personal grudge against Spike to take precedence over the well being of others. If Spike is to play an important role in saving the world..." he trailed off, knowing his point had been made.
"I think I speak for everyone," Riley put in. "When I say that I wouldn't mind if Spike were to suddenly leave this world."
"I'll go along with that." Xander agreed.
"Yep." Anya agreed.
"Still," Willow said. "We can't let him just go around hurting people can we?"
When everyone looked at her with their "Duh" faces, she blushed. "No of course not."
Then she perked up. "Riley, is there any chance you could get the initiative to re-chip him?"
Riley pulled a sour face. "Even if they listened to me, they're more likely to kill him. The Government isn't too keen on prophecies."
Joyce came down at that moment, with Dawn in tow. "That poor young man," Joyce said quietly. "He's fast asleep, this ordeal's wearing him out."
Giles sighed. "I'll look into the prophecy about Spike, it may give us some insight on what to do."
"In the meantime," Buffy said, standing. "If I have to bring Spike in alive, fine. But I'm not guaranteeing he'll be in one piece."
"Sounds like fun." Riley said, rising. Buffy started to protest, but he held up a hand. "I'm coming Buffy. He's killed two Slayers, and he's almost killed you several times. Mortal or not. I'm still back-up."
Buffy sighed. "Okay."
"I'll look into the whole, splitting people and putting them back together angle." Willow said.
"Xander," Buffy said. "You take William back to your place. In fact, Mom, Dawn, you go with them too. Please. I wouldn't put it past Spike to come back here."
"Oh." Anya said unhappily. "But Xander and me were-"
"Anya," Xander interrupted, an embarrassed smile on his face. "We've discussed this, remember?"
"Oh right." his girlfriend remembered. "No one wants to know."
And so everyone left. Xander however found a problem. "Okay," he said to Joyce, Dawn and Anya. "William. Isn't in your room."
"Oh," Dawn said. "That's not good."
Tara set the fifth book down on the table. She had gone back to her and willow's apartment to get some of the books she'd borrowed from the magic shop, and when she'd returned, everyone was gone. So she'd gone to the magic shop, and let herself in. All the Scoobys had a key. She decided to get a head start on the research. She still didn't quite feel like she was part of the group, and she wanted to make herself useful. And lo and behold, she thought she'd found the answer. The only way to get Spike and William back together was... The door opened. Which was odd because it was locked, and she hadn't heard a key in the door. Spike looked at the girl staring at him in shock. Had word traveled that fast? No, she was looking at her book, then back at him. What was the girl's name? Tara? That was it. Why was she looking at him like that?
"Why are you looking at me like that?" he asked, striding forward.
She backed up a step for every step he took forward. He couldn't help grinning. He loved this part. The fear. The helplessness. Careful, she was a witch, she might be able to do...something. Turn him into a toad or something. "Oh, n-no reason." Tara said, not sure what to do.
Spike was intrigued. "What's in your little book there?" he asked. "Don't tell me the Slayer wrote about me in her diary and you stole a look."
For some reason, he thought that thought may once have caused him to pause. But he didn't care at the moment. he wasn't hungry. He wasn't really bored. he was curious. Why not talk to the girl before he killed her. With luck he could do it right in front of the Slayer.
*****
William strode along the street, thinking. He'd been unable to sleep, and he hadn't wished to bother these people with his problems. And for some reason, some nagging bit of memory, he decided to sneak out. It was peculiar. When he thought of the strange girl in the barn, he felt an enormous stirring of emotion. But how could that be? he'd only seen her once. And what was it he felt? It wasn't quite what it had been with Cecily. It was...gratitude. That was it. And with that, came a flood of abstract information. she'd wanted him. Out of all the people she could have, she'd chosen him. She was the only woman, the only person aside from his mother that had ever treated him with respect. with affection. Treated him like he was worthwhile. Like he was attractive. He loved her for that. A part of his heart would always belong to her. But he still couldn't remember a thing about her. And this new girl, Miss Buffy. That brought on even more emotion. These thoughts were interrupted by a voice behind him.
"The Most Beauteous and Radiant Glorificus has need of you." Two pairs of hands grabbed him. "A rather urgent need actually."