TITLE: Yesterday's Child

AUTHOR: Drusilla

RATING: PG-13

PAIRING: Spike/Buffy, Max/Liz

SPOILERS: Season 5 of Buffy, Season Two of Roswell

SUMMARY: When Max is haunted by odd dreams of a certain petite blonde, he brings Liz along
to Sunnydale, California to investigate, in hopes of finding more of his kind.
Meanwhile, Buffy explores her feelings for Spike and discovers that everything
has changed during her absence. Set five years in the future.

Buffy/Roswell crossover, Spike/Buffy and Max/Liz 'ships.

DISCLAIMER: The characters aren't mine. They belong to Joss Whedon and Jason Katims.

DISRIBUTION: Sure, take it! Just let me know and credit me, please

FEEDBACK: Yes, please!



YESTERDAY'S CHILD

* * *

CHAPTER 3: Shattered

* * *



She sleeps the day away, her frail body fatigued from the recent birth and transformation.
She is weak; dusk will fall soon, and should the vampires she used to slay find her, she
will have no chance.

But she is oblivious to all demon-hood, all vampires, except the one.

She dreams of him; of his silken touch and his gentle carress. She has nothing to base
her fantasies upon, of course-- not yet. She smiles as she wakes, thinking of nothing but
him, no memories of Dawn left in her mind.

Walking into the night, she takes a deep breath, loving the way the night brushes past her
skin.. so alive for a time so dead in the cycle.

The moon is a yellow sliver tonight, thin and waning, golden from the light it has stolen
from its brother-sun. She is nervous about tonight-- not just because she will see HIM,
but because there are things she needs to know. Willow, Xander, Giles.. even Anya. She
needs to know their fates.

She runs her fingers through her tangled hair, cursing herself for not having changed or
showered since she was.. born. It is a miracle that she can walk, even: her mind barely
remembers how.

The town appears dead here. No one walks on the streets; No lights can be seen from any
house in the proximity. She shivers a little, maybe from the wind that is chilling her
arms, maybe from the air that has changed so suddenly.

She turns a corner, and the world slips from her feet.

Spike.

Locked in a passionate embrace with some red-haired girl, her body writhing under his, his
hands tucked around waist possessively.

She feels his passion, his desire, and stares on as cold splashes down her cheeks. She
cannot see the girl's face, only her thin limbs tugging onto her Spike's arms.

Tears sting her eyes as she swallows, refusing to believe his betrayal.. was it betrayal?

Five years, they had said. It has been five years. The beautiful blue people.

He lets go of the red-head, and she freezes as the girl collapses to the ground, her body
limp. She gasps involuntarily, and upon hearing the disturbance, he turns around in full
vamp face, his teeth stained with his victim's elixir.

She turns and runs, choking back sobs as her world becomes a blur of wetness. Just when
she thinks she has figured it all out, she discovers something new.

Five years, they had said.

Five years.

Running, running, running. Oh God.

Was it he who had killed everyone? She felt nauseated at the idea. The one man who she had
trusted! The one man who was supposed to take care of them all. Oh God, she feels sick.

She stops for a second, leaning on the brick wall to catch her breath. He is behind her
in an instant and she sinks to the pavement. "I trusted you." She whispers, and he
advances.


* * *


When he turns and sees her, he is mesmerized for the instant, shocked at her arrival. She
looks a ghost, her skin pale, her white dress flying, her hair a mess of gold.

He sees her tears, her wet cheeks. He blinks, and she is gone, leaving him to wonder if she
was ever really there. Perhaps it was all his imagination, a play he had invented for
himself, something to take away the blame. Mayhap he had lost it, just like Dru, when
everything he had ever loved had been taken away from him.

He follows her shadow tentatively, unsure of her substance. She has quite a few lengths on
him, but she is slow without practice, and soon he is on her. She leans agaisnt the wall,
panting for breath as he draws near, and although in a daze, he can read the pain on her
face.

What has he done?

"I trusted you."

"I know. Let me explain."

She shakes her head sadly. "There's no need." She whispers.

"I should have told you."

"Yes. But it is too late."

"I'm sorry." Is all he can say.

"I thought--" She swallows. "I thought I had it all figured out."

"What did you figure out?"

"About us."

"Buffy--"

"Tell me a story," She cuts him off.

He shifts uncomfortably. "What story do you want to hear?"

She looks at his blues, his crystal gems that she has mistaken. Her expression is
meaningful. Her secret has just been shattered, but it still trails her heart. An
abomination, she knows, but it is all she has left of her former self, no matter how deadly
and wrong it is. She cannot escape it: she would rather be broken.

She wants to know. "A story about history. A tale of pain, of hurt. Of loss. Of
promises. And-" She breaks off.

"And what, pet?" His tone is gentle, the type of tone a teacher uses on his kindergarten
students.

She closes her eyes. "Of love."


* * *


TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Note: Hey, I know all my chapters are really short, especially this one, but
sometimes there's a place where you just gotta cut off for that dramatic effect!

Anyways, please review and leave your email address! Thanx!