Title: "Dominoes"
Spoilers: After the season finale, "Graves". Set in the beginning of season seven.
Rating: PG (so far)
Disclaimer: Joss, Mutant Enemy, Greenwolf, and UPN own the show and it's characters. So there. For this chapter, I don't own the characters Loraine and George either.
Summary: B/S (and others) and post-"Graves" fiasco, set in season 7. My first fanfic. Ever.
*italic text indicates thought
Feedback: Depends on my reviews on whether or not I will continue after the fourth installment. And I still welcome constructive criticism. :D Thanks. Again. :P


It was time. He got the sodding soul for the Slayer, and so he'd show it to her. Spike raged through his meager wardrobe for the least appalling thing that Buffy might like. He planned exactly how the conversation would go.

Spike: That was the idea, right? What else was the soul for?

He went a bit easier on the gel this time, and combed his hair furiously. Blondie boy wasn't really focusing much on Buffy, though. He hadn't counted on the regret.

Spike: Like I could help it. It was the demon!

The excessive grooming was halted. A tear fell.

He noticed. Spike wiped it off and scurried the potential tears away; he wanted to look his best for Buffy. Inside and out.


Giles, Buffy, Dawn, Willow, and Xander waited patiently in front of the Magic Box for Anya to arrive.

Xander: "You should've kept your key, G-Man."

Giles: "You're absolutely right, as always, Xander. I must have not been thinking; as the key would be vital whilst I lived in England."

Dawn: "Eh.. no biggie. She's only late by a few minutes."

She glared at Xander.


Anya set record on her VCR with a ha! of triumph. Teleporting to the electronic store was brilliant, because frankly, she really needed that tape.

At that, she teleported herself to the Magic Box, leaving a faint cloud of smoke where the demon was standing.

Xander: "Bejesus! Anya, you scared the willies out of me!"

Anya: "Not like it takes much. To scare you, that is."

Xander had a horribly hurt look on his face, for a millisecond. He knew that he's been through a lot less than everyone else, and didn't deserve any sympathy. Or so he told himself.

She hastily unlocked the shop and let everyone through. They all settled in, waiting for Giles to give them the lowdown.

He took his time; sank into a chair and sighed before uttering a word.

Giles: "Well then. Here we all are."

Buffy: "Right. Giles, get on with it. Whatever it is, I'm sure we can all take it."

Giles: Funny you of all people should say that.

Giles: *nervously clears his throat* "I've received information through the demon underground and.."

Xander: "And you get information from the demon underground how?"

Giles: *sighs* "Use your imagination, Xander. I really must get on with this."

Xander reconsiders a joke, and deflates his posture.

Giles: "As I was saying.."

He swiftly creases his visage toward Xander, and then returns.

Giles: "My resources tell me that ..well.. that recently, some vampire of an unknown identity fought for and earned a.."

Spike arises from the basement of the Magic Shop, and greets them all.


Spike: No one's supposed to be here yet.

They all stare at him, a gaped mouth here and there. Of course, Buffy didn't act surprised. Partly because she already saw him, and partly because she didn't want him to think she cared in the least. All of the females subconsciously noted his higher than average good looks.

Xander's face was dripping with hate; it was quite clear that he was out for ...well.. not blood.. but oh buddy, he was definitely.. out for something.

Willow was the first to speak.

Willow: Might as well, as one murderer to another.

Willow: "Hey Spike."

Spike beamed at the girl, grateful for the break of silent shock.. not to mention a few of the eyes literally trying to laser through his neckline.

Spike: "Hi, my lady!"

He fumbled to snatch something out of his coat.

Spike: "I've ..uh.. heard of.. um.. in any case.."

He shrugged off the attempted sentence and handed her something. Willow eyes opened a little wider when she realized it was a greeting card.

She smiled once she saw it. On the front was Hebrew lettering, and inside: "Happy Hanukkah!"

It wasn't time for Hannukkah, but she was Jewish.. so Spike didn't let it go to waste. Willow didn't care about the nature of the Hallmark greeting once she read the rest.

Written in elegant handwriting below: "Every time I would see you together, I always saw how she'd make you glow. Now she gets to stay in your heart, and you get to glow forever. My sympathy, *scribbled out W* Spike."

Willow sat. Eventually, the tears came.

Willow whispered a fragile, "Thank You".

Dawn and Anya leaned in to read it, but the rest of the crew were disinterested in reading it. Well, Buffy only acted as such, but it was the same effect.

Spike: "You're.. you're.. perfectly welcome. I meant it."

He directed the last part in way that it was only intended for her to hear.

Giles: "Um.. Spike, why are you here?"

Spike: "What? Oh, uh.. to give that to Willow. And um, well.. to.. to give that to Willow."

He said pointedly.

Giles: "Oh."

Buffy: "Giles, what were you saying?"

Giles: "I.."

Xander: "Why are you still here, Mister Ruffies?"

Buffy's insides cringed at the not-so-funny nickname. For whatever reason, she hated Xander that one second.

It discouraged Spike from his real mission de la Magic Box. He felt guilty again, and undeserving. He noticed the distanced look in Buffy's eyes, her crossed arms cradled her; body language for closing herself off. Spike longed to make it all go away for her somehow. Yet, he couldn't do that. He wondered, could he ever?

Spike: "I'll go."

Giles knew he'd regret this..

Giles: "Actually Spike, we might be needing some input from you once I tell everyone the news."

The group, for the time being, put away the anger.. about Buffy, about his absence. Spike, still with the hurt look on his face, took a seat on the counter.

Buffy couldn't help but to notice his look; noting how his lips would pout and.. remembered how that used to seduce her. She trained herself since how to stifle such feelings, but she always felt the twinges of urging right before she would swallow them back down.

Giles: "Alright then."

He inhaled.

Giles: "According to my resource, an unidentified vampire went through unearthly trials.. very difficult.. so I'm told, in order to be granted a wish of sorts. Any useful information we have is that this vampire is a resident of Sunnydale, and that he or she has returned. Spike, have you heard of this?"

He hesitated. Spike looked up to see all eyes on him, all except for the nonchalant Buffy, who absently picked at her nails.

Spike: "Yeah."

Giles: "And..?"

Again, he hesitated.

Spike: "I know as much as you know, Watcher."

Giles returned to briefing the entire group, disappointed a bit to hear nothing from Spike.

Giles: "Well.."

Dawn: "So, what's the big deal about this?"

Giles: "I was getting to that, actually. You see.. vampires are evil, naturally.."

He didn't realize at all that this brought up issues about Spike into everyone else's mind.

Giles: "so the possibility that the vampire wished for something very dangerous should be a main concern of ours."

Buffy: "How do we get started? How would we even prepare, if we don't know what it wished for?"

Spike dually noted the -it- in Buffy's sentence.

Giles: "We must research the demon that granted it the wish. Perhaps learn of what sort of variety the wishes may be of."

Giles: "Spike can get as much information he can underground."

Dawn's curiosity had her blurting out.

Dawn: "Why are you even helping us, Spike?"

Xander would never.. ever.. let Spike answer that question without getting his piece in first.

Xander: "Duh.. he's just waiting for another chance to be alone with Buffy so he can.."

Buffy tiredly yet instinctively stopped him.

Buffy: "Xander!"

Xander: "Sorr.. no. No! You know what? I'm getting tired of you excusing him everytime we bring it up."

Spike: Why would she.....

The construction worker stood up with rage.

Buffy: "I'm not.. I.. it doesn't matter anymore. He.. just.. I.."

Buffy: ugh! Why did he bring this up in front of everyone for me to argue about? Why did he bring it up at a place and time I cant run from?

Buffy: "You don't know what we.."

Spike interrupted.

Spike: "No, Buffy. He's perfectly right. My help isn't worth my being here anyways."

Xander was furious. He hated Spike trying to play the bigger man, Spike's supposed to be evil.. and Xander is good. Good triumphs over evil.

He broke. He went over and punched Spike. And punched him some more. Eventually, he beat him through the glass of the counter. Xander may not be stronger, but he was persistent. Spike let the fists come; let them pierce through his skin and onto his soul.

Buffy wanted to stop him with ever fiber of her being, but after she stood up at the first blow she froze. She remembered the bathroom.

After the glass shattered, she saw his face. Bloodied like when he faced Glory.

Like when he faced her, in the alley.

No one was going to stop him, they just stared. None of them hated Spike, yet none of them really cared either.. not since they heard of what he tried to do. Harris kept at it; his fist as bruised and pulpy as Spike's face. Xander put it all on him. They let him. Everyone, solemnly, let him. Only the sounds of Xander's grunts and fists colliding with Spike's now barely discernable face could be heard.

Buffy: "Stop."

She said it softly, inaudible to all. Except Willow, who noticed that Buffy was still yet in a trance. She took initiative, with Spike's card in the back of her mind.

Willow: "Stop it, Xander!"

Xander stopped another punch in midair once he heard his best friend speak those words.

Xander: "That should be enough for now."

He laid off, leaving everyone speechless. It was quiet for a while, with Spike laying inanimately on the shards of glass. The original members of the Scooby Gang were the only ones standing, staring at the floor.

Anya: "My counter."


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