Title:               Something's Wrong

Summary:            Buffy finds out something. (Sorry if the fight scene sucks; I'm not too good at them!)

Spoilers:         Post "As You Were"; "Hell's Bells" and "Normal Again" didn't happen and won't.

Pairing:            Who do you think? J

Rating:            PG-13

Disclaimer:     You know the deal.  Even though I wish I owned Spike, I own nothing.  All belongs to Joss.  I just play. 

Buffy was patrolling.  She'd been kind of lacking in the slaying department lately, with helping Anya plan the wedding, spending more time with Dawn, helping Tara move back in, and her job at the DMP.  The vamps were getting a little braver in her infrequent slaying patterns.  By time decided to head on home, she had already staked about 10 nasties.  Busy night.  As she was passing by the cemetery, she saw 3 vamps just hanging out by the gates.  I guess going straight home is out of the question, she thought.   Oh well.  

"Can I join the party," she called out, throwing a stake into one of the vamps chest, dusting him immediately  "Whoops!  That just slipped right out of my hand!"

The remaining two just growled.  "Slayer!"

"God, I hate it when you jerks say that," Buffy complained as they advanced on her. "I have a name, you know!"

One of them grabbed her and threw her into the cemetery, up against a headstone.   She didn't move.

"That's the Slayer," asked Vamp 2.  "One hit and she's out?!"

"Go check her," responded Vamp 1.  "Make sure she's unconscious."

He wandered over to Buffy and cautiously knelt by her prone body.  "She's out for the count, boss!"

"Nah, I was just thinking really hard," she said, eyes snapping open.  She quickly staked him while he was kneeling over her dumbfounded.  "Two down!  Okay buddy," she said, facing Vamp 1,  "let's get this over with.  I really want to get home and I am so not in the mood for this right now."

He snarled and launched himself at her; they hit the ground struggling.  Ow.  Okay, that hurt!

They rolled down a hill, coming to a stop as they hit the wall of a mausoleum.  Buffy quickly rolled on top of the vamp, trying to hold his arms down with her legs. "I told you," she said, grabbing his head and thumping it against the wall, "I want" * thump! *  "to go" * thump! * "home!" * thump! *

Before he could gain his senses back, she took a stake out of sleeve and dusted him.  Now where did that damn vamp roll me to?  Buffy thought.  Wiping herself off, she checked out her surroundings.  Wait a minute…. She walked around to the front of the mausoleum….  She couldn't believe that she just had a fight right outside of Spike's crypt.  Why didn't he come out to help her?  She knew he loved watching her fight.  And he certainly sensed when she was around.  Then she remembered.   She hadn't been in his end of the cemetery or heard a peep from him since that night in the Bronze three weeks ago.  Not that she cared.  She got was she wanted.  To be done with him.  But then why did thinking about it make her chest hurt?  Forget it.  She should just head home and keep pushing him to the back of her mind.  It was done with.

But as she took one last look over her shoulder while she was walking away, her eye caught something.  The crypt door was open.  Spike never left his door open.  Buffy was curious.  She took a small flashlight out of her pocket and stepped inside.  "Spike?"

There was no answer as she looked around the room.  It looked like he had gotten rid of as much of the rubble from Riley's grenade as he could.  "Spike, are you here?"  Still no answer.  A feeling of unease settled over her. He's probably just out getting some blood and smokes.  Yet something still didn't feel right.

She went down the ladder into the more livable quarters of Spike's place.  Most of the rubble was gone from here too.  Actually, everything was gone.  Candles, rugs, bed, fridge, TV.  Everything.  Unease turned to panic.  She bolted out of the crypt.

Buffy kept on running until she got to the old factory where Spike and Dru used to live.  He had the DeSoto stashed there since he didn't use it much anymore.  She went around back to the makeshift shed that was covering the car.  Inside she found Spike's motorcycle lying carelessly on its side.  Its front wheel was bent as if it was in a crash.  The DeSoto was gone. 

                                                            ***

Tara awoke with a start.  She heard a loud crash come from downstairs.  "Willow, did you hear that," she whispered, looking over at her.  Still asleep.  Damn, she'd probably sleep through an earthquake!  She quietly got out of bed, and grabbed a baseball bat from the closet.  After making sure Dawn was still safe and sleeping, she headed down the stairs softly.  Nothing unusual in the living room or the dining room.  She gasped when she saw the scene in the kitchen

Buffy was sitting with one leg under her in front of the open refrigerator door, still filthy from her fight earlier.  A carton of orange juice was on its side in a puddle.  In her hands were the remains of a broken glass she held so tightly that it was cutting her skin.  She was rocking back and forth, oblivious.

 "Oh my God!  Buffy are you okay?  What happened," she asked, rushing to her side.

"Gone. He left. Gone.  He left.  He left.  He's gone.  He said he'd never leave me like them…." She started babbling.

"Breath, honey.  Slow down," Tara said, soothingly.  "Lemme get that glass out of your hands; you're hurting yourself.  Now, who left?"

She turned to look in Tara's eyes.  She wasn't sobbing, but tears were sliding down her cheeks.

"He left.  Just like my dad.  Just like Angel.  Just like Riley.  Just like Giles.  Now Spike.  He said he'd never leave, but everyone always does.  Everyone always leaves me."

End Part 2

TBC

*  Don't worry.  I'll get to the tattoo! Soon! *