Part 3
Giles picked Willow up off the floor where she had fallen in a tangled heap after the spell had been concluded and laid her on the leather couch nearby. Tara hovered over her worriedly while Giles ran to find a cool cloth to put on her forehead.
"Willow, honey, wake up please," Tara asked trying to keep the panic out of her voice, and project only soothing energy and vibes which wasn't easy. She took the red haired witches limp hand, and stroked it, hoping that somehow physical contact t would help as she concentrated on sending her energy and strength from her own reserves.
"Anything?" Giles asked as he handed Tara a cool wet cloth from the nearby bathroom, and Tara put the cool cloth on her mate's pale forehead.
"Nothing," she said sadly. "Giles, she just isn't strong enough to do heavy magic like this. I keep telling her that but she won't listen. She still hasn't fully recovered from the transportation spell we did at the hospital, and that was weeks and weeks ago. She so fragile," Tara sighed, looking at the smaller woman.
"Yes, I know. She hasn't been the same since we did the spell to summon the First Slayer, and it seems to be getting worse for her everytime she attempts magic, and yet she wants to do more, and more without taking proper precautions. I fear for her safety a lot, because she will do anything to help her friends even to the risk of her own life," he said, with a deep sigh. He loved the young woman on the couch as much as he loved Buffy. She had been through so much with them all since the very beginning. Her capacity for self sacrifice always amazed him, and worried him.
"I know that, and it scares me a lot. I've tried telling her she needs to slow down, and not think that everything depends on her knowing how to do a super spell to save someone, but she won't listen. She feels like she 'has' to do spells that are beyond her abilities so that she won't disappoint Buffy, or you, or Xander or anyone. She's always trying to make sure she takes care of me, and everyone, and her own needs don't matter," she said shaking her head. "Since Buffy's mom died it's been worse," Tara added, chewing nervously on her bottom lip, debating whether to go on or not..
"What do you mean?" Giles questioned, looking at her.
"It's just that…" she didn't get a chance to answer as Buffy bounded up the stairs looking for them.
"Ohh, sorry. What's going on?" the Slayer asked taking in the scene, and then seeing Willow passed out. "Willow? What's wrong with her? Is she okay?" Buffy asked anxiously, rushing over to her friend.
"She passed out after the spell. An aftereffect I'm sure of, of her using so much energy. We were trying to wake her. Have you seen Spike by the way?" Giles asked, after he answered her questions.
"Yeah, did I. That was some doozy of a spell you did. He's human now," she said, not looking up at him as she tried herself to wake up her friend as she kneeled on the floor by the couch.
"He's what? Did you say human?" Giles asked alarmed, his mind already spinning at Buffy's calm news.
"Yeah, full stand in the sun, and not burn, with a heartbeat, breathing, and all. What did you guys do?" Buffy asked looking up at him like they had done this intentionally to really mess up her view of the world, and how things should be.
"Just a soul restoration spell with some modifications to anchor his soul a bit more permanently than Angel's if he gets the chip out. There was nothing in that could, or should have turned him human too in it. If this is true then I am completely at a loss at how it happened and why," he said shaking his head and wishing he had a stiff drink.
"Well, he is, and I'm not sure how I'm going to deal with a human Spike. The vampire version was bad enough. And he said he thinks he still has his strength, and other abilities too—like they didn't go bye bye when he became human. Which is totally wigging me out," Buffy said, and then saw with relief that Willow was coming to.
"Goddess, my head hurts. What happened? I don't remember a thing after I started the spell. Did it work? Is Spike okay? Did he get his soul back?" she asked looking to Giles, then Tara, then Buffy as she tried to sit up, and then gave up as waves of dizziness and nausea hit her making her lie back down against the pillows.
"Yeah, it worked big time. He got his soul, and something extra--Spike's human. Your spell somehow changed him, " Buffy told her.
"Human? As in alive, walking, breathing, sunlight kind of human?" Willow questioned with big eyes, and saw her friend nod slowly yes. And she knew Buffy wasn't lying--this was too important to lie about and Willow was shocked to her core. "Ohh shit…I didn't mean to—really I didn't. All I wanted to do is make sure he didn't go all Angelus on you if he lost his soul—getting a happy—since he was more likely to get a happy than Angel might…you know.." she sputtered embarrassed.
"Huh?" Buffy asked, wondering what her friend meant and when it hit he she wished she didn't know after all. Though it did make her wonder if Spike had said something, or her friend knew something she didn't about her, and Spike—no, she really didn't want to go there.
"I see, but still, Willow, there shouldn't have been anything in that spell to cause this sort of effect, otherwise Angel might have been restored as human as well. It definitely requires further study, and consultation as I have never heard of such a thing happening before like this. It is most perplexing. And where was Spike when you saw him last, Buffy?" Giles asked.
"Out back standing in the alley enjoying the sun, but he may have tried to follow me in as he was trying to talk me, and I couldn't—talk to him—I was, am… too freaked still to deal with him," she admitted, ashamed that she had not been more happy for the former vampire.
"I see," halfway understanding what she was saying, and shelving a heavy conversation for later on the subject of Spike. Turning his attention back to Willow, he asked, "Are you going to be all right?"
"Should be. I really need some aspirin--lots and lots of it. My head hurts, and I still feel dizzy. If Spike is really human can you send him up for me to see him. I really need to explain to him that I didn't do this on purpose. He's not mad is he? He was real happy as a vampire so being human would not be a good thing--right?" she asked Buffy.
"I think he's cool with it, Wills. He didn't seem mad to me, especially if he didn't lose any of his abilities, and gained somethings too. But this is Spike--so I really can't say if not being a vampire is bad for him," Buffy told her truthfully.
Giles hadn't thought about whether Spike might be upset about being human again. It sounded like he needed to have a talk with the new human. Turning to Willow, he told the young woman, "I will send him up as you don't need to be getting up for awhile," Giles replied puzzled at her request.
"I agree with Giles. You need to rest for awhile. Are you sure, honey, that you are up to talking with him, especially if he is upset with being human again? Maybe I should just get you home, and you get some rest there," Tara asked, still worried for her.
"No, it'll be okay. I'm just tired, but I can still talk. I need to see what happened for myself, and since I can't move too well…"
"Got it." Tara agreed.
"If you're sure, I'll go get him, and bring him up," Buffy told as she started to stand up.
"No, let Giles, I want to talk to you real quick before I see him," Willow told her grabbing Buffy's sweatshirt sleeve before she could get up. Buffy looked at her surprised and stayed put where she had been sitting on the floor.
"Okay…," Buffy answered slowly, looking at her determined friend, unsure what was up. Tara saw that Willow wanted her go which hurt her a little, but she, and Buffy had been friends for years while she was still not close to Buffy. Tara and Giles took Willow's looks at them to leave as their clue to give the two friends some privacy, and went down below.
Once they were alone Willow told her, "Buffy, I want you to listen and not say anything until I get through, " and she saw Buffy nod and settle down on the floor to listen for a change. "Okay, it's like this, now that Spike's human, you can be nicer to him now. I mean before he was a vamp, and all. But even then I did see how he was trying to help you, and us, but you didn't want to see it. And you wouldn't have believed me if I had said anything to let you know he had been helping. It took a lot of courage for him to ask me to do a spell to get his soul back, and now it's gone all the way and made him human--alive—which I never expected. It's going to be awful hard on him now. He hasn't been human for a long time, and still is probably going to still think like a vampire in some ways. Just think of him as a baby, or like Anya was at first--and still is-who didn't know all the rules any more because she had been a demon for so long. He can be a fairly decent guy when he wants to be, and when 'you' don't piss him off. So what I am saying is give the guy a break now," Willow told her, giving her friend her resolve face.
"Willow!" she protested, not happy with the lecture. "I'm not that heartless—I'm still in shock of him being human, and alive. This just complicates an already too much complicated situation. I will cut him some slack, I promise. But this is a big turn around for you too," Buffy had to add.
"Well, not really. I've been doing a lot of thinking on it, especially after Xander, and I ran into him before your Mom's funeral. I could have killed Xander because he was so nasty to Spike."
"Huh? What happened?" she asked since this was the first she had heard of this.
"He was coming to your house to leave some flowers. He had heard about your mom, and the flowers were in respect for her. He wasn't even looking to talk, or see you. And there wasn't a card either, and it looked like he had picked them himself. He and Xander got into it pretty bad, and even after Xander shoved him he didn't even try to hit him. All the time he was saying how much he loved, and respected your mom, and that she was the only one that he really cared about as she had always treated him decently, and not like a freak. Xander called him all kinds of names, and said some really awful things—I was totally embarrassed because Spike was trying to be decent, and didn't deserve it, but Xander was being a total ass. And it's then I realized how much we all had hurt Spike, and that he really had been changing, but no one had noticed. Like he watched over your Mom and Dawn, helped you look for Dawn, helped you fight Glory, and other vamps and demons. He's been there for you when the rest of us couldn't. Even you have said he saved your life a couple of times. I just realized how wrong I was about him, how wrong we all have been about him especially these last months," Willow told finishing her speech.
"He was actually bring flowers for my mom?" Buffy asked, disbelieving.
"Yeah, they were those daisies, and wildflowers sitting on the porch. I picked them up off the ground, and put them on your porch just like he had wanted to do. Xander wanted to throw them in the trash, but I wouldn't let him. I'm still mad at him over the whole thing.," Willow told her.
"I was kind of confused when I saw them with no card. They were pretty though. I found them, and put them in a vase on the table. They made me feel good somehow. So that's where they came from," Buffy said, shaking her head, knowing that if he had tried to give her flowers she would have probably acted just like Xander and she felt ashamed now too.
She really hadn't given him a chance at all since he tried to get the chip out, except when she needed him to help her, and he was her only choice. Then whole sequence of events with his confessing his love, then Dru, and finally getting chained up on Valentine's day, had freaked her out totally. She had known for awhile Spike had feelings for her. She just didn't want to admit to herself it was true, or try to figure out what she really felt about him. He bothered her on a whole lot of levels, and she was afraid to admit, even to herself, she was attracted to him, and did have feelings for him because that would be admitting that she could never have a normal relationship, and that the only men she could be totally in love with were not normal, or even human. Riley had been the closest to normal, and then when he had stopped being her equal, their relationship had really slid downhill. Now she was wondering if Ben was normal, or was he something else too. If he was something other than human, then she was definitely going to know she was doomed.
Now she had no excuses, no reasons why to ignore Spike. He was human. It was now a completely different ball game all around. Now what? She was asking herself. "Thanks for telling me Willow about the flowers, and what happened. Probably Spike didn't want me know about them, so I won't say anything unless he does. You gonna be okay?" she asked.
"I'm feeling better already. So you'll at least think about what I said?" her friend asked.
"Yeah, I will, Wills. I'll cut him some slack. Gee, this will also mean he'll be moving out of the crypt. He can't stay there now, it won't be safe. Like where is he going to live, and how? No job, or anything. And I wonder if the chip is still working? Maybe I'll be nice, and take him to dinner. Wow, he can eat now, no more liquid diet," Buffy said thinking out loud, rambling on nervously as it all began to sink in on what his being human meant.
She heard some throat clearing from behind her, and realized that Giles, and Spike were behind her. She blushed hotly at what they must have over heard, and she saw amusement in Spike's eyes as she met his. "Dinner, huh? Sounds, like fun pet. I'm looking forward to it," he grinned, not going to let her get out of it easily.
"I need to check on Dawn. I'll talk to you later, Wills," she said hurriedly, getting up, and then sliding around the two men before making a hasty exit to the safety of the shop below. Behind her she heard Spike laughing and she got even redder.
When Buffy got downstairs she saw that Dawn was with a customer trying to help them with some books so she ducked into the bathroom to calm down before facing her sister. She didn't need Dawn seeing her blush, and get all unnerved around Spike. How was she going to deal with him now? As a vamp he had bothered her on levels she did so not want to acknowledge--now it was worse--much worse, and he had only been human for less than a hour. She was really going to have to get her hormones in check around him. But she couldn't, shouldn't act any differently around him. He was still Spike, wasn't he? If she did act differently, then what did that say about her? That she could only be happy with someone not normal, someone that shared her darkness, knew what she really was, really felt inside when she was 'hunting', someone like Angel, or Spike? His changing was all too unsettling to her set world view of vampire--slayer--dead vampire, and the only good vampire was one of the souled variety. His changing changed everything she had held as fact and was making all these distinctions way too confusing. Then too, she just wasn't ready for another relationship with anyone--was she? Especially, not her now ex-mortal enemy because could she still call him a mortal enemy when he was no longer a threat? God, the whole thing was making her head swim and giving her a headache.
Finally, she felt calm enough to come out of the bathroom, and face Dawn. She plastered on a false smile and an air of nothing can faze me--not even Spike and stepped out to face her friends. Dawn was still busy. That was good, more time for her to collect herself, Buffy thought to herself. Buffy approved of Dawn helping in the shop to give her a feeling of belonging rather than just sitting all the time doing school work. The young teenager was very good at talking to people, a helping them find what they really needed instead of what they thought they needed when they had originally come in to buy something. Despite Buffy's inner misgivings of having her little sister exposed to all of these magical things, and thinking of Dawn as a being too young to know about such things, along with being a normal teen, Dawn wasn't, and never would be. She was magical, and Buffy was rapidly finding out that Dawn would find out stuff, and do things whether, or not Buffy, or anyone else approved. She refused to be treated like a baby, and kept in the dark about what she was, or anything else. Her life, her very existence was on the line too, and she wanted to be able to protect herself any way she could.
Like this afternoon, Buffy and Giles had promised to start teaching her some self defense moves, and begin some weapons training. Since there might be times when she would have to defend herself and there might not be anyone around to do it for her. Dawn hated being helpless. She wanted to know what to do to survive and keep herself out of Glory's hands. The fight at the hospital had really bothered her because she didn't know how to defend, or fight off Glory, or couldn't defend herself from a vampire, or demon attack. This was not a cool thing, and it worried everyone.
As soon as Dawn was through helping the customer she came over to where Buffy was sitting. "Ain't it cool about Spike?" she asked.
"Yeah, real cool. That means he's going to be twice as much of a pain in the ass, and the uninvite spell won't work now," Buffy threw back.
"But he's safe now. I thought you'd be glad about that. Plus he can go places, and do normal stuff now. What-- you're scared of him now?" Dawn asked pushing now with a giggle to her voice only too aware of her sister's interest in Spike well before this.
Buffy eyed the teen, anger flashing in her eyes. "Me? Scared of him—right! Now I really can hurt him," he added, then switched to a similar subject, "You still want to learn some moves today?"
"Yeah, sure," Dawn replied, happily surprised as she thought for sure that Buffy would back out, or make some excuse not to show her anything along those lines.
"Well, come on, and go change into your sweats. I need to train, and while I'm training I'll show you some simple stuff then we'll move up to the more complex moves," Buffy said, getting up, and heading for the workout room before she ran into Spike again.
"Cool!" Dawn replied as she headed for the restroom to change before following her sister.
When Dawn got there Buffy was already stripped down to a black sports bra, and workout tights that molded her slender, compact body. Her feet were bare, and she was gracefully moving through a series of martial arts warm up exercises.
"Okay, I'm here. What do you want me to do?" Dawn asked leaning against the wall watching.
"Come over here next to me, and see if you can copy what I am doing," Buffy instructed her.
Dawn watched carefully for several minutes, and then attempted to try, and follow her sister's movements, and only succeeded in tangling her legs up, and falling down on the mat in disgust. "Damn," Dawn grumbled looking up at her and shaking her head. "I'm never going to be able to do that."
"Don't cuss. Yes, you can. It's not that hard. Come on, get up and try again. It's just like dancing."
"Well, I can't do that either," Dawn mumbled under her breath, but she did get up, and tried again. This time she succeeded in hitting Buffy in the side of the head when she swung her arms too wide, and ended up knocking her to the floor. "Sorry," Dawn apologized embarrassed to be so klutzy, offering her sister a hand up.
"That's okay, I've been hit worse. This time move back a little—don't get so close. I thought you took all those ballet lessons. This should be easy," Buffy said not really thinking.
"In my head I did, but remember it never really happened," Dawn replied, frustrated now. "This isn't going to work. I'm too big of a klutz to do this," she sighed flopping down hard on the mat.
"No, you're not, luv. You just need practice, and easier exercises. I bet your sis wasn't that good when she started," Spike said from the doorway. He had been watching from the doorway since they had started training, trying to focus on what they were doing instead of Buffy's luscious curves. Buffy was good at fighting, but she was no teacher, and he could see that she and Dawn were both getting frustrated, and this would end up in a fight. He on the other hand could teach.
"And you're an expert?" Buffy shot back, not happy about him showing up, and pointing out her failings.
"You could say that. I have been fighting, and doing these kind of moves for close to a hundred years. I'd like to think I'd learned something in that time. You know you can't beat me, or you haven't yet," he challenged taking off his boots, and socks.
"Sheer luck, that's all it's been. Now that you're human you think you can beat me?" Buffy challenged him, her eyes burning, daring him. She was sure that she could really kick his ass now.
"That's what both Giles, and I want to find out. We both want to know if I still have all my strength, and abilities, or whether it's gone. I think I still do. In any event I can still give Nibblet some lessons ,so she can start defending herself if she gets jumped by some nasty. Too many of them wandering around, especially at night, right, Lil' Bit?" he asked looking at Dawn and she nodded nervously, and tried not to met Buffy's eyes.
Buffy frowned at the exchange, but decided she'd ask her sister later what Spike meant. "Okay, Giles wants us to spar? Ohh, this is going to be fun," Buffy smiled evilly thinking that is was going to be all so easy to whip his ass, and settle this once and for all. "Dawn, move out the way, and stay back," she warned her, and the girl went back over to doorway to give them the entire room to fight in. "Okay, Spike, bring it on," Buffy told him as she began her attack.
End Part 3
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