Author: Kelley (beanyb1999@hotmail.com)
Rating: PG-13 or something like that.
Feedback: I like feedback. Please, feel free to comment.
Distribution: Take it and put it somewhere if you want to. Let me know first.
Summary: Tara and Spike have figured out what is wrong with Buffy. Spike is fixing it right now. Possible season six spoilers, but not very likely.
Dedication: For Christy, who is looking over every chapter and saying nice things about my story. For Shelley, who writes fanfic with me (Kelley and Shelley). For all my reviewers, thanks for the wonderful feedback!
***********************************************************************
Spike and William looked at each other. Spike frowned while William just stood with a perplexed look on his face.
"What do you think you're doing, Spike?" Xander asked hatefully.
"I'm getting the Slayer's soul, whelp," Spike retorted.
"Do YOU really think YOU will be able to get Buffy's soul, Spike?" Willow asked with venom in her voice.
"Yes. Yes, I do. Now let me get to it."
"Spike, you're pathetic. You know that?"
Spike turned and glared at the boy who never failed to cause him so much grief.
"Who are you to talk, Harris?"
"You'll never make it through here, Spike. Just give up now."
Spike walked towards the redheaded witch.
"What are you two doing here?"
"There has been a change of plans," Willow replied.
"Is that so, ducks?"
"Yes. You're going back. We're going to do this journey together. Me and Willow have known Buffy longer than you have," Xander rasped with a sneer.
"Sorry, I can't let you do that."
"Too bad. Do you really think you have a chance with Buffy?"
Spike scowled. "What's your bleedin' point?"
Suddenly, they found themselves in a nicely furnished room. They heard two people talking and turned their heads. It was William and Cecily.
Spike stared at the scene he knew all too well. He bowed his head.
"Bad moment, huh, Spike?" Xander asked with a smile on his face.
Spike ignored him. He listened for the earth shattering, heart breaking words he knew were about to come out of Cecily's mouth.
"You're beneath me," Cecily stated with an air of superiority.
Spike watched as Cecily left the room. He watched William, who had started to cry, devastated. He watched William run from the room, the large mansion, and outside to his inevitable death, and his beginning as a vampire.
Willow and Xander laughed loudly at William's expense, much to Spike's embarrassment.
"You've always been pathetic, Spike," Willow said between cackles.
"Why are you showing me this?" Spike asked, feeling utterly depressed. This was not how he wanted to start out.
"To show you the awful truth about yourself," Xander remarked.
Spike turned his head to William. William appeared to be unphased.
"Aren't you upset about this?" Spike whispered to his human counterpart.
William smiled. "That's all in the past. I've been here in Heaven for 120 years. I've been happy. When you're up here, it's hard to get down on yourself."
Spike furrowed his brow, thinking about what William had just said.
"Spike, face it. You're beneath Buffy. If she was in her right mind even she would recognize that," Xander said spitefully.
"Yeah, Spike. Think of it this way. If Buffy gets her soul back, she'll become her old self and forget about the pathetic loser that you are. Do you really want that? If you stop now, you won't have to worry about that and you will be the Big Bad again rather than the Slayer's lapdog."
Spike shook his head. "Be quiet," he whispered with a shaky voice.
Xander and Willow continued to taunt him. "You're beneath her! She'll never give you a chance, especially with her soul. You're a pathetic excuse for a vampire!"
Spike covered his ears. "Be quiet! Now!" He blinked back the tears that were threatening to spill.
Suddenly, he let go of his ears. "You two don't belong here! Get out of my way! I made a promise to the Slayer and nothing is going to stand in my way. Damn the consequences! Maybe I never will have a chance with her, but I DO love her! Now get away from me!"
Xander and Willow's taunting faces suddenly disappeared.
Spike slowly turned to face William.
"What the hell?"
William smiled at Spike. "You did well. You stood up to them even though they tried to break you down."
"Was that the test?"
"There was a possibility of truth in what they said," William replied cryptically.
Spike frowned. "Great. I hate cryptics! Could barely understand Dru when she spoke and Peaches never makes any sense when he's all soul-having."
"It's time to continue, Spike. The Slayer is waiting. The test must still be taken."
"William, can't you tell me what to expect?"
William raised an eyebrow at Spike. "I know nothing more than you do about the test."
"What? You don't know anything?"
"No, I just start going. The test is supposed to find us."
"Well, some guide you are," Spike muttered.
"Be quiet. We must be moving along." He started forward with Spike following closely behind. They were walking through the soft yellow light again.
"Spike, wait!"
Spike stopped walking and spun around. "Nibblet? What are you doing here?"
Dawn ran up to Spike and hugged him. "Spike, I'm afraid."
"Afraid of what, Lil Bit?" Spike asked, stroking the teenager's brown hair fondly.
"What if you come back wrong?" she asked with a shaky voice.
"Dawn, I told you everything will be fine."
"Be careful. I want the old Buffy to come back. I miss my sister."
"I know, Platelet, and I'm working on it."
"Spike, what if it doesn't work?"
"It WILL work. But I need to get going to get the job done."
Dawn hugged him again. "Spike, come back with me."
"What?" He pulled Dawn off him and looked her in the eye.
"We need you to protect us down there too. What if something happens again? I can't lose you! I can't lose Buffy! Please come back. We'll send Angel," Dawn cried pleadingly.
"Angel?!" Spike growled.
"Well, he is Buffy's first love," Dawn replied meekly.
"Angelus can sod off. This is MY job. Got it?"
"If you come back wrong, you'll end up letting us all down. You won't be able to protect Buffy or me. That can't happen."
"And it won't happen!" Spike said reassuringly.
"You're scared to death that it will happen! C'mon, Spike!"
Spike regarded Dawn. He really was afraid he'd end up coming back wrong, but he still had to try to get Buffy's soul. He was not going to let anyone stand in his way.
"Dawn, I'm staying here. I have to do this for Buffy. I promised her," he said softly.
"You promised me too, Spike. You promised you would come back right. I don't want to risk it."
"Sorry, Dawn. You need to go now." Spike gave her a slight push backwards.
Dawn glared in anger. Her nature completely changed. "Willow and Xander are right. You really are pathetic," she retorted with the same contempt that had existed in Xander's voice moments ago.
Spike grimaced at Dawn's sour words. She disappeared with those words still ringing in his ear.
William cleared his throat. Spike turned his head to his human self.
"Another possibility of truth, right?"
William nodded.
Spike frowned. "Why am I doing this? They're right. I'll never pass this test. Maybe someone else should be doing this. I'm beneath her anyway."
William stared at the vampire, horrified. "Very well, then."
Spike looked at William, and then quickly averted his eyes from him.