Title: Standing On Your Own

Author: Hope

Rating: PG-13

Summary: When a demon kills everyone the slayer loves, she falls deep into depression: No will to live, no will to fight. Because her heart is no longer in slaying, the PTB send back a certain blonde vampire to help get her back on track.....

A/N Okies, I kinda forgot to explain why Spike can hurt people. Let's just say that when he died, the chip was deactivated and since he was brought back to life, it remained inactive. K? :P

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"Spike!" Buffy ducked to avoid a punch and slammed her stake in the female vampire's chest as she rose. Turning to Spike, she tossed him her stake and watched as he finished off two more of the vamps. Behind them Faith was in the process of taking out the fourth and final one. Buffy dusted the ash from her clothes as Spike walked up to her. They both watched as Faith dusted the last vamp, her usual cocky smirk in place. Buffy rolled her eyes and began to head back towards her house.

"What's the hurry?" Faith questioned, following behind them.

Buffy turned and looked at her like she was an idiot. "Sunrise."

"Oh, right, your boyfriend's a vampire. As always."

"Nothing gets by you, does it?" Buffy remarked harshly as the trio turned on to Revello drive. Spike smirked as he watched the girl walk ahead. Boyfriend, aye? He followed after her as she stormed through her front door and fell onto the couch, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What's wrong now, luv?" He asked, taking a seat next to her. Her eyes fell to where Faith was walking through the door. She shut it gently behind her and looked over at the pair on the couch. She was definately the odd man out here. Buffy snorted and returned her eyes to the floor. "Buffy, pet, is that all you're going to do while she's here? Sulk and complain? It was your bloody idea to save 'er, remember?"

Faith rocked back on her heals nervously. The tension in the room was thick and she wasn't enjoying it. "You care if I go take a shower?" she asked, eager just to get out of the room.

"Whatever." Buffy repled, not looking up. Faith nodded and headed up the stairs. Spike waited until he heard the door close and the water running before he spoke again.

"She doesn't have to stay here, you know. You saved her life, that doesn't me you have to take her in."

Buffy swallowed and ran her hands through her hair. "I know."

"Then why don't you just tell her you want her gone?" He asked, cocking his head to the side.

Buffy chuckled grimly and looked up at him. "Because she'll just get into trouble again."

"And you don't want her to?" He asked. Buffy shook her head. Smiling, Spike pulled the girl into his lap. "I'm surprised this house isn't full of stray puppies and kitties."

Buffy smiled slightly, curling up closer to him. "That would be more like something Dawn would do……" she felt him take an unneeded breath.

"Yeah, it would, wouldn't it?"

Buffy nodded and closed her eyes. God did she miss Dawn……

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"Mr. Travors, may I ask why we don't just get a shapeshifting demon to play the roll? It would be much easier…."

Travors gave Lily a stern look. "Because they would know. You forget, unlike you and I, they can sense demons. They can sense those they love. We need the real thing if this is going to work." Lily nodded understandingly and looked around the large chamber they were in. Four other men were in the room, each standing in a corner, a torch in hand. They were at least a mile underground and the air in the room was cold and smelled. She shuddered.

"Are we ready to begin?" She asked, looking back at Travors.

"Almost." He walked to the center of the room, standing in the middle of a large diagram inscribed on the marble floor. Reaching into his coat pocket, he produced a small gold encased gem. He leaned down and placed the jewel into a crevass on the floor. It fit perfectly. With a sly grin he and Lily made their way back towards the entrance to the chamber. A large hooded demon walked past them and into the room. Travors nodded at him. "You may begin." The demon made a noise that sounded almost like a laugh, but came out more as a screech. Travors shuddered. The council rarely worked with demons and he despised them when they did. This one would most likely be killed when he completed the task at hand.

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Spike was laying across the couch, Buffy sleeping curled up next to him. Faith sat on a nearby chair, flipping through channels on the TV. Daytime TV sucked. She stopped on an episode of Jerry Springer.

"You know, they should really make a demon version of this show…" Spike suggested, grinning. "Now that would be interesting."

"Tell me about it. 'My wife is cheating on me with a werewolf.'" Faith replied, smirking. The show drawled on, a cascade of hookers and trailer trash alcoholics coming on stage and fighting, none of them as enticing as a demon would have been.

The phone rang. Spike's brow furrowed as he gently lifted Buffy from him and stood. She stirred slightly and she watched him with half open eyes. Faith watched as he marched over to the phone stand and picked up the receiver.

"Ello?" He twirled the cord around his fingers as he listened to whoever was on the other end. "Who is this?" His face scrunched up and he looked to Buffy, shrugging. "They want to talk to you." She stood and yawned as she walked towards him, taking the phone.

"Hello?" She said sleepily. All her friends were dead, so who would be calling her? Angel? No, he only called at night when he wanted to check up on her and she hadn't gotten a phone call from him since Spike had gotten back. He had been slightly relieved when he found out that the slayer wasn't alone in Sunnydale anymore, but wasn't so keen on the idea that Spike was staying with her.

"Who is it?" Spike asked curiously. She put up he finger, signaling for him to wait a minute. Suddenly her sleepy eyes went wide and filled with tears. Her body slumped to the floor and she dropped the phone. Spike was by her side in an instant, pulling the crying girl towards him. "Buffy? Buffy, what's wrong?" He asked softly, rocking her small form slightly, trying to calm her. Noticing the phone on the floor he picked it up. "Who is this?!"  He demanded harshly, wanting to know who had driven the girl to tears. The voice that came back wasn't the same one he had heard moments before. It was his turn for tears to spring to his eyes. "Nibblet?"