Chapter Three - Dreamscape

"This really isn't a very conducive place for this sort of dream enhancement," Giles said, looking around Spike's crypt. The cold marble and granite needed a good cleansing to remove the mold that was creeping in like a blanket in spots. The large bed seemed out of place and smelled a bit gamy. They hadn't lied when they told him it was near impossible to drag Spike out of his home. The TV was set up so it could be seen from the bed instead of the couch where Giles suspected was its usual spot. He could just imagine Spike crumpled on the bed moaning about the fate he had brought on himself.

"What's wrong with it? This is where he usually sleeps," Buffy said. She was trying not to see the place because it was impossible not to see herself as part of it, hear her moans of guilty pleasure, feel his cool, smooth touch. She wanted to forget it all even as a frisson of latent desire blossomed. She ground it underfoot.

"Yes, I know, but the energy here is ugly," Giles muttered.

"Can you do it? Do you need-" Willow stared but the word 'help' was cut off by a sharp 'no' from Giles. Willow jumped back as if burned. Giles shot her an apologetic look.

"Well, I ain't exactly chuffed to have to try and sleep in front of the gang," Spike grumbled, eyeing the interlopers sourly.

"Three people is not a gang," Buffy said, not in the mood for his usual whining.

"I'd like to see you get sleep while there are people watching," Spike shot back, stripping off his shirt. His alabaster skin rippled over the areas where his ribs and shoulder blades knifed at the flesh. Buffy glanced away, trying to forget she had ever caressed and kissed that cold skin. She could almost count his vertebra. Was he eating at all and why did she even care if he starved himself to dust?

Giles caught her stricken look. "Sleep with your pants on. No one wants to see you naked."

Spike didn't even protest. He collapsed on his bed, and peeled off his boots. "Whatever. I'm not going to be able to do this."

"Why don't we go outside and come back in a little while. That might be easier for you," Willow said.

Spike smiled gently. "Thanks, Willow tree."

Willow visibly paled and headed out of the crypt as if propelled by an unseen hand. Buffy and Giles took a few long strides to catch up to her. They could hear her breath coming in ragged gasps. Buffy put her hand on her friend's slim shoulder.

"Will, what's wrong?"

Willow dashed a few stray tears from her eyes. "No one ever calls me Willow tree, no one but Tara."

Buffy's face softened. "Oh Willow, I'm sorry. That jerk probably heard her say it and is just trying to upset you."

Willow wagged her head. "She never used except when we were alone. I don't think Spike could have overheard it." She took a deep breath, considering the tender expression on Spike's face as he had called her that. "And I don't think he meant to upset me."

"Probably just a coincidence. It's an obvious nickname," Giles said, but he made note of it. He had never heard Spike call Willow anything other than 'Red.' Given the oddness of the situation anything might have significance.

"Let's walk," Buffy said. "I don't like standing around like a target."

Willow glanced skywards. The sun was bright, making the granite graves gleam. In the strong light of day there was a forlorn beauty to the cemetery. Weeping ladies, armed angels and animals stood guard over those who had gone before. Thoughts of Tara being among the fallen crept in and Willow had to fight to keep from crying. She started along a garden path full of roses and mums. "I know you don't want me to use magic, Giles, but there might be other things I can do to help." Her voice trembled like a leaf in a hurricane.

"What I would like for you to do, Willow, is to write down anything Spike has to say once we start questioning him. That would be a big help."

"Should we leave him to fall asleep by himself? I mean, don't you have to cast the spell?" Buffy asked.

"I already have done. It might be worth it to listen in to see if he talks in his sleep but he's likely to just stay worked up if we had remained behind," Giles said. "But I'll confess I'm not looking forward to rooting through Spike's dreams."

"Neither would I, if they were Spike's dreams. From what little he has said, I can't imagine them being his," Buffy said.

"What do you plan on doing about Spike in the long run?" Giles asked.

Buffy looked into her Watcher's blue eyes. There was no judgment there, no accusation, just gentleness. She was so used to that look. It made her feel full of sunlight. She always knew what to expect in Giles' eyes; either fatherly affection or terminal annoyance. "I wish I knew. I guess if I were going to kill him, I would have done so and not called you back. I was always arguing for a chance at redemption for Angel because he had a soul. Do I do less for Spike? Or was I only arguing for Angel because I loved him."

Willow's face went grave. "Do you love Spike, too?"

Buffy sighed, her agate eyes misting. "No. That's not the right word for it. There is something between us, that's for certain but it's not love. I don't know what it is. My life would be a lot easier if he was gone but that's not fair. That's not what being a Slayer is about, eliminating those who are inconvenient."

"But it is about eliminating demons. Spike is still that," Giles said.

"And if you thought I should kill him out of hand you would have said so and saved yourself air fare," Buffy shot back and Giles didn't argue. "I don't want to talk about him right now. Will, tell me more about England, tell me about the good stuff. We've all had enough of the bad."

Willow smiled frailly and related the good parts of being in Bath with Giles. Buffy listened, half jealous, wishing she could just go away to another country for little while. She knew that wasn't fair. She knew Willow was hardly on vacation but still, she couldn't quite quell that hint of green coloring her thoughts. She would never be able to take a vacation ever.

They went back to the crypt and Spike was asleep. They played cards with the deck Giles had thought to bring to stave off the boredom. Spike finally awoke hours later, in the heat of the afternoon. The three mortals had gotten sweaty from sitting in the crypt with its lack of ventilation. Spike made a disturbed noise, curling up a bit under the covers, his back to them. He stayed that way for several minutes until Buffy thought she'd have to drag him from bed. Finally, Spike sat up and with a few expert motions brushed his tangled curls into something manageable. Buffy felt jealous again.

"I don't ever want to do this again," Spike moaned.

"So you remember your dreams?" Giles said, nodding for Willow to start writing.

Spike scrubbed his too-thin face as if trying to brush the memories away. "Too many of them."

"Start at the beginning," Giles encouraged.

"I remember being afraid of this overbearing man. I couldn't see his face but I could tell he was my father. He was yelling at me for betraying the family, for being bad," Spike said.

"And did you used to fight with your father?" Giles asked.

"A lot. He didn't think I was bad.he thought I was weak. He was embarrassed by me," Spike admitted, ducking his head. "That dream changed and I was in a forest. It was beautiful. There were thick trees and a stream. The air smelled like pine and there was this little girl who ran up to me with a handful of flowers. She gave them to me and pointed toward the hills in the distance. She ran off without a word and I walked toward the hills. At the headwaters of the stream stood another lady. I thought she might be the girl's mother. She smiled and kissed my cheek and pointed the way to the hills. By the time I got to the hills, a third woman was there. She looked like the other two but older, like the grandmother. She didn't look as happy as the other two. She handed me this small sword and said, 'choose.' Then she was gone." Spike said, shivering at the remembrance of her.

Willow's breath caught and she dropped her pen.

"What is it Will?" Buffy asked, her hand straying to Willow's arm.

"He saw the TriVia," Willow said.

Giles, noting Buffy's blank look, added, "The Triple Goddess."

"Why the hell would I be seeing her?" Spike asked, his brow wrinkling. It made his scar dance. "I've never in my life dreamed about gods or goddess or demons for that matter."

"I have no idea why she would show herself in a dream to you," Giles said.

"I've had a dream like that once," Willow said. "So did Tara. When we first met and started talking about magic we talked about our dreams of the TriVia. Yours was a lot like ours."

"Well, I could do without her. Then came the last dream.do I have to talk about this one?" Spike said, a distinctly embarrassed look settling over his features.

"If we're to help you, yes," Giles said, but Buffy could tell her Watcher really didn't want to hear it. He obviously had noted Spike's mortified look and dreaded knowing what could humiliate the vampire.

"Okay but remember you asked." Spike hunted up his cigarettes before continuing. "I was in bed.with Willow."

"What?" Willow's eyes were large and horrified.

"Hey, it's not my idea." He blew a plume of smoke overhead. "I've never thought about you like that, Red." Spike pursed his lips. Actually he had thought of Willow that way. He'd have to be blind and deader than he was not to see how beautiful she was. "But the dream was vivid. I've never seen you naked but I know that you have a sprinkle of freckles over your shoulders and a little crescent scar on your left butt cheek."

Buffy glanced over at Willow who nodded. "I do. I got it falling out of Xander's tree house when we were kids. But how could you know that, Spike?"

"No clue. It's not like I'm some damn voyeur." Spike rubbed his chest, the cigarette butt clamped in his fingers making a slow outline around one shell-pink nipple. Actually he was a voyeur, Buffy and Riley, Angelus with Darla and/or Dru. It excited him but he hadn't ever thought to watch Willow and Tara and rather regretted it at this point. "Let's just say we went down on each other and leave it at that. You don't need the damn details. Afterwards, we were cuddling in bed, candles all around and we were talking about our hopes and dreams, Willow tree. You were telling me all about wanting to go to England to see the castles and I was telling you about wanting to see Greece and all the old temples. Well, I've been to Greece and couldn't care less so I don't know why I'd be telling you this. I keep saying, wouldn't it be great to pray to Hecate in the oldest of her temples there in Greece, like I'd give a toss about sending prayers up to anyone."

Willow let out a sob and sank to the floor. A low keening tore out of her throat as she rocked back and forth. Her name screeched past both Buffy and Giles' lips as Buffy threw her arms around her friend.

"Willow, what is it? What's happening?" Buffy asked.

Willow's tears hit the cold marble floor as she rested her head against it. "Buffy, he's describing in perfect detail one night Tara and I had spent. We were talking about our dream summer vacations. He couldn't possibly know that."

"Oh God," Giles said, coloring draining from his lined face.

"What?" Buffy looked up at him harshly. "Do you know what's going on?"

"I have a suspicion, a very bad one. This creature gave Spike his soul on a lark. He knew Spike was trying to hurt you all. But what if he didn't give Spike William's soul?" Giles asked, a shudder tearing through him. "What if he knew what would really hurt us all?"

Willow fought her way out of Buffy's grip and dived onto the bed with Spike. She grabbed his face, staring into his blue eyes. She scryed in them for several long moments then all but collapsed on him. "He gave you Tara's soul!"