Part 19: The End

"Spike!" Bri gasped as her eyes flew open. She looked at her surroundings frantically, finding herself in a cramped stone box. It was completely dark where she lay- on her back with her hands folded neatly over her stomach. But she found that she could see quite well. Hesitantly, she lifted a hand to her face, finding vampiric ridges on her forehead and sharp fangs in her mouth. She shook her head and heard the sounds of bones shifting and her face returned to its smooth human planes.

"Spike." She whispered again and she reached up above her, pushing on the cold, rough stone she found there. When it didn't budge, she let out a cry and began frantically pounding on it.

The stone chipped and dust and fragments fell onto her. Finally the stone slid a bit to the side and she pushed it the rest of the way. It fell onto the floor with a great crack and Bri leapt out of her tomb. She shook herself off, finding her hair to be longer than she remembered it being, and smoothed out her clothes- a simple white dress that she remembered buying in Richmond with Spike. Spike.

Bri dashed to the door, flinging it open, luckily finding it to be dark outside. With a speed gained from her new vampiric state she began to run towards the entrance of the familiar cemetery.

In her haste, she almost tripped over a vampire, just rising out of the grave. He looked at her with feral yellow eyes and growled territorially. Bri was surprised when a low growl emanated from her own throat. The fledging suddenly rushed forward, attacking her and knocking her to the ground.

She growled as she jumped to her feet, kicking him squarely in the chest. He fell back onto his tombstone and a sickening crack was heard. He didn't get up. Bri looked around for something to use as a stake, but found nothing. She sighed and stepped forward, twisting the vampire's head off of his shoulders. It crumbled to dust in her hands as the body did the same.

As she was brushing herself off, she heard a faint beating- like a heartbeat and a small, strangled gasp. She turned, finding Buffy frozen in place a few feet away.

"B-Bri?" the other slayer asked.

Bri nodded. "Yea…it's me." she said with a soft smile.

"Y-you're a…you're a…"

Bri stared at the slayer in confusion until she realized she was in game face. Quickly shifting back, she stepped toward Buffy but the slayer backed away defensively. "Buffy…it's alright. It's a really long story but…to make it short, I have a soul. It's OK."

"W-When did you…"

"Wake up? A few minutes ago. I was just going to-" Bri stopped when she saw Angel jogging up behind Buffy.

When he saw her, he froze. "Bri?" She nodded. "You're…a vampire."

"Yea." She said impatiently. From the looks of the sky, it was almost dawn and she had to make it all the way across town to Spike's before the sun came up.

"And you have a soul." Angel said. At her questioning look, he explained. "I can sense it on you."

Buffy looked at the new vampire with tears in her eyes. Without warning she rushed forward and pulled Bri into a tight hug. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry." She chanted.

"For what?"

"It should've been me! It was my job to do and…"

"No! No! Don't think that. It was my choice. But it's over. It's in the past. And right now, it looks like the sun is coming up and I have a long trip across town to make."

"Huh?" Buffy asked, pulling away. "Oh. Spike. Right."

"Bri…I don't know if you want to go over there just yet. Maybe you should let one of us break the news to him. I don't think you'd like what you saw if you went over there now." Angel warned.

"I already know. I saw. I don't have time to explain. I really need to go." The new vampire said impatiently.

"You'll never make it in time. Let me drive you."

"Thanks. But we need to leave now."

Angel nodded and the three of them headed to the car.

*****

Spike stepped out of the shower, pulling a towel off the rack on the wall and wrapping it around his waist before going to stand before the sink. He rested his hands on it, leaning forward with his head bowed. He was taking things one step at a time, concentrating only on the next minute and not thinking of the very long and bleak future ahead of him.

He lifted his head, staring at the empty mirror in front of his face. It was fogged with the steam from the shower and with his finger, he drew a sad face where his reflection should be. With a sigh he ran his hands through his tousled hair, smoothing the wet locks flat.

He left the bathroom and moved to his closet where he pulled out a pair of black jeans and a T-shirt. He put them on and turned to look for something else to do to occupy his mind. The house was a mess. He could clean. That would give him something to do.

Spike glanced around the bedroom. It wasn't messy except for the bed, which wasn't made. Yet he just couldn't bring himself to make it. Not yet. 'Later.' He promised himself as he gazed at Bri's side of the bed.

He went downstairs and into the living room, which was the messiest room of the house. Slowly he began to clear away the bottles and cans that cluttered the tables and floor. He carried them into the kitchen, dumping them into the trash as Midnight watched from her place under the kitchen table.

When that task was done, he went into the kitchen to heat himself a mug of blood. He just didn't feel like hunting. He hadn't for quite a while. As he watched the mug turn slowly in the microwave, the complete silence of the house struck him. It was just too quiet and he couldn't stand it.

Spike reached over to the small CD player on the kitchen counter and hit the play button. He immediately regretted it as Bush's 'Glycerine' began to play. The vampire laid his forehead against the cabinet, shutting his eyes as the song played and the memory of why exactly that particular CD was in the player came back to him.

"Hello, love." Spike said as Bri bounded into the kitchen, a large smile on her face. "School let out a bit early today?" he asked as he removed his mug of blood from the microwave.

"No." She responded simply, hopping up to sit on the counter beside him.

Spike chuckled. "You skipped again?"

"Not like I'm missing anything. I don't have any tests today. And plus, I have better things to do with my time." She said with a sly grin.

"That you do, pet." He stepped between her legs and wrapped his arms around her waist. She leaned down, kissing him soundly before pulling away abruptly. "Wha-?"

"I have a surprise for you!" she exclaimed. "I almost forgot."

The slayer pulled out of his arms and jumped down off the counter. She headed into the living room and returned with a white plastic bag with the words 'Planet Music' on them.

"Planet Music? Oh whatever could it be?" Bri just smiled and removed a CD- as expected- from the bag and thrust it towards him. He saw the band name on the cover and immediately a grin brightened his features. "Is this-?"

She nodded and quickly took the CD from its case, placing it in the player on the counter. She flipped to the right song and set it on repeat, smiling as the familiar notes filled the air. Spike pulled her to him, running his hand through her hair and kissing her gently.

Must be your skin that I'm sinking in

Must be for real cause now I can feel

And I didn't mind

It's not my kind

It's not my time to wonder why

Everything gone white

And everything's gray

Now you're here now you're away

I don't want this

Remember that

I'll never forget where you're at

Don't let the days go by

Glycerine

"Spike…" She moaned softly as he ran his hand under her shirt, gently massaging her breast. Before she knew what was happening, Spike had hoisted her up off the floor and sat her down on the kitchen table.

She pulled eagerly at his T-shirt and he paused to allow her to pull it over his head. When it was tossed aside, Bri grinned at his exposed chest, running her hands over the smooth alabaster planes. He watched her admire him with a proud smile on his face. "Don't go getting all smug now." She said playfully when she noticed this.

He chuckled and slowly lifted her shirt, tossing it aside as she'd done to his. "Only if you promise not to either." He said as he reached behind her with one hand, deftly unclasping her bra. When it too was discarded, he stood and admiringly caressed her warm flesh, loving the feel of it beneath his hands. Spike glanced up, finding her watching him with smiling eyes. "So beautiful…" he whispered, cupping her cheek and pulling her in for a deep kiss. "I love you."

Bri smiled against his lips. "I love you too."

If I treated you bad

You bruise my face

Couldn't love you more

You got a beautiful taste

Don't let the days go by

Could have been easier on you

I couldn't change though I wanted to

Could have been easier by three

Our old friend fear and you and me

Glycerine

Don't let the days go by

Glycerine

The song continued to play and Spike felt a sudden swelling of anger within him. It wasn't fair. He screamed, punching the cabinet and leaving a large crack in the wood. But he didn't care. Midnight's head shot up, staring at him as he sank to the floor, holding his head in his hands and crying.

I needed you more

When we wanted us less

I could not kiss just regress

It might just be

Clear simple and plain

That's just fine

That's just one of my names

Don't let the days go by

Could've been easier on you

Glycerine

He leapt to his feet, grabbing the CD player and tossing it across the kitchen. It flew out the door into the living room and smashed into the back of the couch, landing unsatisfactorily unharmed. Spike screamed again in a heart wrenching mixture of rage, grief, and pain. He grabbed his mug of blood and threw it against the wall and was about to put his hand through the large crimson stain when he heard the front door open.

There was no heartbeat to be heard besides Midnight's. 'Angel.' Spike thought immediately. "Go away!" he shouted. There was no response. The vampire went to the refrigerator, searching desperately for some kind of liquor that hadn't been consumed as of yet.

He found a bottle of tequila that had fallen behind one of the shelves just out of sight. Within seconds he had it out and opened, guzzling the burning liquid. "If this is another bloody intervention, I don't need it." He said bitterly. "I'm out of the chair aren't I?"

When again he was met with silence, he looked to the door and dropped the tequila bottle. "Bloody hell." He mumbled, shaking his head clear. He looked back to the figure in the door, finding her still there.

"Spike…" she whispered.

"You're not real."

"I am." Bri said. "I am real. I'm here, baby." Tears formed in her eyes as he studied her with disbelief clearly written on his features. "Spike?" Within seconds he reached her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. She was crying as was he and he buried his face in her hair. "I'm sorry I left. I missed you so much. It hurt so bad. I love you. I love you. I love you." She rambled.

"God, I love you too. I thought…I thought I'd never see you…" Spike looked down at her, caressing her face, wiping away her tears. "It's really you…cor…I missed you, baby."

Bri nodded, unable to speak through her tears. She clutched the back of his head, pulling him to her in a kiss that was so full of love she thought she would burst. Both lovers were so hazy with passion and joy that hours later, lying in a tangled mess of blankets and bodies on their bed, neither could remember how they got there from the kitchen.

"Can we just do this forever?" Bri asked as she rested her head against Spike's chest.

He chuckled. "Course we can, pet. Course we can."

THE END.

***Well, there it is. I've been working on this for about a year now off and on and I finally finished it! Yey me! Sorry that the last scene is a little 'unsatisfying' but my smut tends to come out kind of cheesy and plus, my friends read this stuff and I catch enough flack for my PG-13 love scenes as it is. Please review!!! I'm begging, yet again. And also check out my website where you can find this and all my other stories. www.geocities.com/saffire457 ***