* Part 4
"Ariara are you sure?" Ashford questions.
"Yes, I'm sure I want to patrol tonight before we go. I mean if I'm going to go visit some other Slayers and save the world I think I'm going to need to get some practice in."
"All right just grab some supplies and meet me outside." Ariara nods her head and watches as Ashford walks out of her room.
"What am I thinking? I'm in no shape to patrol. I mean sure the bruises are healed but I mean if it wasn't for Spike I'd be dead. What if there is a stronger vamp out there? And I can't defeat him?" Ariara speaks out loud to herself as her fears are getting the best of her as she glides to the door with a duffel bag of supplies in hand. "I wonder if Spike is going to be there?" she whispers to herself as a sly grin surfaces on her face as she walks out the door.
***
Ariara finishes off the vamp by sweep kicking his legs out from under him and plunges the stake into his heart. She turns around and faces another vamp, but female. Ariara jabs at the vamp's midsection but the vamp catches her hand. Ariara swings her other hand straight for the vamp's face. She catches that blow too. Ariara smiles, that is exactly what she wanted to happen. She then uses her own forward momentum and rolls on the ground while flipping the vamp over her. The vamp realizes her grip on Ariara's hands as she lands sprawled on her back on the ground. While the vamp is phased Ariara reaches for a spare stake in her jacket and shoves it directly in the vamp's heart. Ariara takes pride in the confused look on the vamp's face as she turns to dust. Ariara still senses danger so she turns around. There is no one in sight but Ashford standing underneath a tree on her right. She walks over and stands next to him.
"Very good Ariara. That was four vampires in no more then 15 minutes you are certainly improving." Ashford complements.
"Do you think I will be good enough?" Ariara asks.
"Excuse me?" Ariara turns to looks at Ashford.
"Do you think I'll be good enough to help Buffy and Faith. I mean that's why we're going back isn't it? To stop our world from ending?"
"Yes Ariara but it does not all rely on you."
"It doesn't?"
"No, you are just a piece of the puzzle. It just happens that the rest of the pieces are in the past. It is almost 9 we must be getting back."
"Ok I think I'm ready." Ariara grabs her duffel bag beside Ashford and follows him out of the cemetery. Suddenly Spike steps out of the shadow having heard their entire conversation.
"They're visiting Buffy? I haven't seen that girl since…" Since she was killed by that Cholac demon 15 years ago. Spike finishes in his thoughts still not able to bear the pain of hearing it out loud. Spike had continued to help out the Scooby Gang and Faith till Faith dies five years later. The Scooby Gang took Buffy's death hard and after Faith died they just gave up, not caring about what goes on anymore. They all had families to tend to, loved ones to care for. But not Spike, he kept on fighting the good fight whenever he could. Spike decided he desperately wanted to see Buffy, his heart *his unbeating heart* still ached for her so he followed Ariara back to the Watcher's Council building.