pSpike 
This story takes place after Buffy's twentieth birthday, but before Crush. 
Third of three prolouges. Feedback can be sent to cobalite@yahoo.com 
No flames please, they give my deleted messages folder integestion. 
I own nothing. Please don't sue, all you'll get is my CD collection.
In Sunnydale, Spike is there when every other vampire's 
fondest wish comes through. He wishes he wasn't.

Black and Blue: Get Another Boyfriend
By Cobalite Ice

Let's talk about one, baby
You gotta hear me out
Do you really wanna be the last to know
What it's all about

 Slayer's driving me up the bloody wall, she is. Moping about the 
lost boy of hers. The only plus side of her being like this is she 
hasn't noticed I'm always around. Any one not busy analyzing every 
aspect of their former relationship with a cardboard cutout would 
realize their former worst enemy was spending all his waking hours 
with her, or those close to her. "Buffy, you're driving me insane! He 
left, he was an idiot. How long are you going to think about what you 
did wrong?"
 "Until I figure it out. I need to know why all of them leave me, 
why I'm not worth their time." She turns to look at me, as if daring 
me trivialize that.

Let's talk about two, you say
He's the essence of your life
But he'll eat you up from inside slow
And then he doesn't wanna know
I'm telling you
He'll eat you up from inside
And then he doesn't wanna know

 "I'm still here." I remind her. 
 "It figures you'd be the one who stuck around. You hate me." She 
kicks a stone.
 "It's not that I hate you, luv. I'm a vampire, you're a Slayer. 
We're not supposed to be buddies." Even as I say the words, I'm 
begging in my head for her to tell me I'm wrong.
 "I know." That's all she says, for a moment. "What are we, 
anyway?"
 "What'dya mean?"
 "We're not enemies, we're not friends, we're not even on the 
same side of the equation half the time. So why are we walking 
through the cemetary together, killing your relatives?" 
 I was afraid that was what she meant. "Boredom?" 
 It's seems to be the answer she's looking for. "Boredom it is."

Listen
I mean it
There's nothing that he's worthy of
He's just another playa'
Playin' in the name of love
I've seen enough
Now this must come to an end
Get another boyfriend

 "Riley isn't worth your trouble, Slayer."
 She looks ready to smack me. "Why might that be?"
 "So you don't love him. Teenagers aren't supposed to love their 
boyfriends. Hell, he probably doesn't even know what real love is."
 "I'm younger than he is. Do you think I don't know what love 
is?" I realize I've just demeaned her entire relationship with the 
Poof.
 "You're an old soul, Slayer. For you to have made it to twenty 
is proof of just how tied you are to this world."
 "You think he doesn't really love me?" She actually looked 
comforted by the thought.
 "I don't think someone like him could really love someone like 
you."

Let's talk about what he's done
To become your number one
Or was it all the promises of diamonds, pearls and party dresses
That turned you on 
I've seen it before
Don't take(!) anymore
Three, two you're through for sure
Just go get on with your life
Stop! acting like you've given up
I'm telling you to go get on with your life
Stop acting like you've given up

 We come to an intersection, and I pause to light a cigarrette. 
She keeps walking, deep in thought. Suddennly, the squeel of breaks 
fills the air. I look up, and quicker than the eye can see, start 
running. Too late. We're both fast, but neither of us can do nintey 
five from a dead stop. Her scream replaces the mechanical noises.
 Mere seconds after she falls, I reach her. I expect her to 
already be dead. She isn't. I expect her to be unconscious. She 
isn't. Her eyes are filled with blood. She's chanting, "Oh god, oh 
god, oh god." Over and over again. I can smell the blood, there's too 
much of it lying in pools around her rather than in her veins. 
 "Buffy." I cradle her head in my lap, unsure what else I can do.

Listen, I mean it (I mean it)
There's nothing that he's worthy of
He's just another playa' (playa')
Playin' in the name of love
I've seen enough
Now this must come to an end
(must come to an end)
Get another
Get another 
Get another boyfriend

 "So fast." She mumbles. "Didn't hear until it was too late."
 "I know." I find myself running my fingers through her hair, and 
she isn't objecting. I realize this is probably the only thing that 
would ever make her let me touch her. I look up, and see a boy 
stumble drunkenly from the truck. "It's a kid." 
 Buffy follows my eyes. "Bastard."
 "What?" I can understand her being angry, but...

Wh-wh-why?
Yeah
Wh-wh-why
Get another boyfriend
Wh-wh-why
Wh-wh-why
STOP!

 "I know him." Her sentence is followed by a gurgle of 
blood. "Should have known it would be you."
 "Me what?"
 "The one here, with me. Not the man I love, or the one who loves 
me. The man who's here holding me is the one who should have struck 
the fatal blow." I don't know if her words should sting, or heal.
With our hearing, I know she hears the sirens the moment I 
do. 
 They're too far away. In the distance, the town clock bongs 
midnight. "It's Saturday."
 She gives a bitter laugh. "You promised me a quick death."
 Now that hurts. "Sorry. I wish I could."

Heyeaheh
Hear me out
You must know (you must know)
What it's all about (baby)
That he's just a player in love (love)
This must come to an end
Get another boyfriend

 "I always knew I could die at any minute. I also kinda thought 
you might be here. However," she pauses to cough up some 
blood. "Lying on the street after being hit by a drunk driver was 
never one of my worst nightmares. It's actually kinda mundane. Not 
how I imagined it at all."
 "What is your worst nightmare?" I remember stories from when I 
first arrived, when the Slayer was actually a vampire for a few 
hours. "Still the same as it was back then?"
 "My greatest fear is dying alone." She grabs my hand. "I guess 
you're not so bad, Spike." 
 Her eyes start to close. She's slipping, I can feel it. This is 
my last chance. "I love you."
 She opens those beautiful eyes, and stares at me. "Are you 
serious?"
 "Yes."
 She smiles at me, one last brilliant smile. She whispered his 
name, a long drawn out, "Angel." 
 Then I was alone. As the ambulance finally arrived, I looked 
into the sky, and howled her name. The blood moon hung high in the 
sky.

Listen
I mean it (I mean it)
There's nothing that he's (ain't nothing that he's worthy of) worthy 
of
He's just another playa' (playa')
Playin' in the name of (love) love
I've seen enough
Now this must come to an end
Get another
Get another
Get another boyfriend

 I showed up at the Watcher's shop still drenched in her blood. 
Anya gives me a disgusted look. "You're making a mess."
 The boy jumps to his feet. "Alright, Spike, what's chasing you, 
and whose blood are you covered in."
 I can't bring myself to answer him, just sit in one of the nicer 
chairs, Giles wincing as I stain it. I light a cigarette, and they 
notice my hand is shaking. Red comes over to me. "Spike, what's 
wrong?" I think she can see the trail of the tears I've cried.
 "We were walking." I realize I'm in shock. Didn't think that 
could happen to a vampire. "She never saw him coming until it was too 
late. Couldn't save her."
 "Something's happened to Buffy." Now the Watcher's listening.
 "She's gone." Its starting to sink in. "She's gone."
 Maybe the expect me to break out in song and dance. Maybe they 
expect me to rub it in their faces. Instead, I shakily get to my 
feet. "Sunnydale General." I go home, to mourn in private. They watch 
me go in shock.

Listen (Hear me out)
I mean it 
(You must know)
There's nothing that he's worthy of
(What it's all about)
He's just another playa' (playa)
Playin in the name of love
(he's just a playa in love)
I've seen enough
Now (this) this (must come to an end) must come to an end

 I think of what I told Buffy, right before she died. I think 
about it as we open her will in the early morning hours. I shouldn't 
have told her what I thought about Riley. I'll never know if it was a 
comfort or something that she dwelled on as she died. Her will states 
that she wants a night funeral. She wants three eulogies given. Given 
by the three men who loved her. She knew, somehow. I don't know how 
to find the soldier, so I call the one man who probably already 
knows she's gone. "Sire. I need to talk to you."

Get (Get another boyfriend) another boyfriend

 **The Begining**