*****Spell Checked

**** Just posted the un-beta'd version of chapter 11. I'm obsessive about posting daily if I write daily. All non beta'd chaps are missing those lovely 5 * before spell check. On a personal note, I re-watched The Gift on FX last nigh. God, I always bawl when that airs. Funny how both season 5 and 6 end with big glowing effects.

*************************************** *****************************************

Title: Deserving

Author: Kaylorin

Beta read by: LdyEmma425

Synopsis: Begins directly after Grave. My season 7. Loosely based on spoilers and speculation. Buffy has begun her life after the events of Tara's death. Spike has changed for her. There is a new BB that brings Buffy back to her roots as The Slayer.

Rating: R (for now)

Distribution: Fine with me, make sure it's the final edited copy (indicated by 5 * after spell checked), and let me know where it's going. My e-mail is kaylorin90@yahoo.com

Disclaimer: I own this story, but not Buffy, Angel, or anything Joss does.

************* ******************* ***********************

Face to Face

"Okay," Xander said while walking around the table. Spike walked around

as well, keeping the table between them. "I don't care whose soul

he's got. You just said he was William, but he's Spike. When Angel got

his soul, he was totally different." The brunette pointed at the

offensive blonde. "That's Spike."

Buffy was walking ahead of her friend, trying to use herself as an

extra barrier. Xander always seemed to gain more muscle over the summers

ever since he started working with the construction-company. She was

fairly sure he still wouldn't be able to hurt Spike much, but she also

knew he might provoke something, that for some reason, Spike was

avoiding. "Xander. I know he seems the same, but he's not. He's completely

human."

Anya, Dawn and Willow had all moved behind the counter to stay out of

the line of fire just in case the two males came to blows.

"Why would you even come back here?" Xander asked, still staring down

the former vampire.

Spike walked backwards around the table, and looked at him seriously.

"Harris, you 'ave to ask?"

"You had to know this was a bad idea. Go be alive somewhere else"

"He can't," Dawn pleaded. "He's my teacher."

Xander blinked quickly. "He's your what?"

Willow interrupted. "She's telling the truth. Giles even knows all

about it, and got him a job at the new high school."

"What?" Xander twisted his brow in confusion. Then he shook his head.

"That still doesn't explain why he's here, in this shop."

Anya was happy to be able to help with this one. "Buffy wished he was

here, she was angry, and so I brought him here."

Now, Xander switched his glare from Spike's direction to Buffy's.

"You wished he was here?"

Buffy was chagrined. "Well, he had a book. One that would tell us about

the new vamp in town." She picked up the yet unopened book. "See? He

was helping."

"Really?" Xander said sarcastically. "Well Mr.

I'm-human-so-we-should-forgive-and-forget, give me a reason not to use that fact, and have

you arrested for attempted rape?"

Spike was just about to answer, when a now familiar tingle went up his

spine. He looked behind him towards the training room. Buffy followed

his gaze, just as her senses warned her of a nearby vampire. "Hold that

thought, Harris."

Both blondes headed for the back entrance. All eyes followed them as

Spike opened the back door to reveal a vampire listening through the

door. The small vampire jumped up, and began to run off.

Buffy sprinted to him, cutting him off before he could leave the alley.

"Now, why would you be listening at our back door?" Sarcasm dripped

from her rhetorical question.

Spike walked casually to the pair. "When I was here after a Slayer, I

listened, and had others listen to find out what she was all about,

love."

The vampire looked between the two scared out of his wits.

"So, you think the new Master sent him here to spy?" She lifted her

finger to her temple, acting as though this was all very interesting. "So

if we just kill him now, he can't go tell the Master anything, can

he?"

"Please, don't. I won't tell him anything." He was nearly crying

for his life.

"Not a good idea, mate. Making deals with Slayers is nothing but

trouble. Trust me," Spike teased him.

"Well, maybe you could tell us a few things?" Buffy looked as though

she was pondering the thought.

"Yes. Anything. Please spare me."

Spike walked in front of the cowering vampire. "Where is he hiding

out?"

"Cabin, edge of town, There are caves below it."

"Old man Carter's cabin," Xander said from the still open door. The

whole group had followed to see what was going on.

"Sounds like it," Willow added.

Buffy nodded at her friends. "Okay, who is the Master?"

The vampire looked at her not understanding the question. "He is the

Master."

"Line? What line?" she asked again.

The vampire just looked at her.

"He's not gonna know. He's just a minion." Spike motioned at the

shaking vampire.

"Oh." Buffy paced a moment, then turned back. "Why were you sent to spy

on us?"

"I was told to find out who was still working with you."

"Why?" Spike asked. Generally when he studied Slayers, he didn't

bother with those she aquatinted herself with. Of course, that is why he

never could kill Buffy. That and the fact that he was in love with her.

"He wanted to be sure you were not alone."

"Me?" Buffy asked.

"Both of you," the vampire answered.

Spike and Buffy looked at each other.

"Why would he want to make sure we weren't alone?" she asked Spike.

Spike looked at the vamp again. "You heard the lady. Why?"

"I wasn't told."

"Minions." Spike almost growled, and pulled a stake from his waist. He

looked back at Buffy. "You mind?"

She gave him the go ahead, and the vamp's eyes went wide. "But I

tol-"

The dust fell before he could finish his plea.

The couple walked back to smiling faces, all but one.

Xander was staring at Spike. "If I didn't know better, I'd swear

you sensed that guy first."

"I was just closer to the door." Spike said as the group walked back

into the training room. Anya continued with Willow and Dawn back to the

shop.

Xander held up a hand. "Excuse me?"

Buffy stood by her friend. "Xander, there's a little more to Spike

being human."

For his part, Spike leaned against the wall, and listened, smiling as

Buffy explained to Xander his new status.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Master sat surrounded by minions, all reporting things they had

discovered. "And she will begin her first day on Monday."

"Very well." The Master waved the minion away.

Jon came forward. "Seth has not returned yet."

"He is sloppy." The Master stood, and walked through the sea of

followers. "He is gone. We must begin to set the plan in motion. Their time

may be sooner that I thought."

"What of the others?" Jon asked.

"We will leave them, for now." He turned back to his favored childe.

"For now, let them believe they are the only targets. It will make things

easier later."

"And the book?"

"He is in possession of it, but he no longer has the key to read it."

"Good." He walked back to his seat, and lowered himself to the

cushioned seat of the heave wooden chair. "Now, we must wait. The opportunity

will come, and the new line will never begin."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Xander had seated himself on the well-used couch in the training room.

"He's a what?"

"A Slayer," Buffy said again.

"No, really?" Xander asked again.

Spike pushed himself from the wall. "She's telling you the truth.

Call the Watcher if you can't believe her."

"Look." Xander stood up and walked towards Spike. "Vampire or Slayer,

you still have a lot to own up to." Xander stopped a few feet from the

blonde.

"I'm aware, but I also have to be here. So either we kill each other

now, or we deal with it." Spike took a few steps towards him. "As far

as what happened, none of it was about you, not on my end anyway."

Xander clenched his teeth, but listened.

"If I could take it back, I would, but I can't." Spike watched as

Xander tried to decide to either punch him, or leave.

"Fine." Xander stood there for a minute staring again at Spike. Then he

looked at Buffy. "I need to go. I'll be here tomorrow after work."

"Okay." Buffy was walking to him, but the brunette turned on his heels,

and walked out.

The couple watched. "He didn't like Angel either."

"Just had to bring him into this."

"I was just saying... "

Spike waved her words off. "No worries. Patrol?"

She sighed. "Patrol."

The headed through the shop, and were gathering supplies when the door

jungles again. There stood Jason, smiling wide. He came down the steps

to Buffy who was putting on her jacket. "Good, I caught you before you

left."

Buffy looked up at Jason, then back to Spike before walking to the

detective. "Jason. Hi." He smiled.

"Hi." She smiled back, now very nervous. "I could get in some trouble

here, but I figured a few days wouldn't make too much of a

difference."

Buffy looked at him, curiously. "What won't make a difference?"

"Officially, you haven't been assigned, but I found out today

you'll be under Detective Griggs, so I guess I won't be breaking any

rules, technically."

Buffy shook her head, still not knowing what it was he was talking

about.

"I'm sorry. I had this planned better in my head, but I'm

rambling." He took a breath. "I was wondering if you'd like to maybe go catch

a movie. Tomorrow if you're free."

Spike stood at the table blank-faced when Buffy didn't say no

immediately.

"Uhh?" Buffy stammered.

********************************************

**************************************

****Someone made a comment about "you and your cliffhangers". Hehe.

Please R&R.