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Awakenings
Spike was the first to regain consciousness but lay still on the bed until he was sure of his surroundings. If nothing else, he decided, the sudden flare of renewed pain in his burned hand assured him that this was the real world at last. His head still spun with broken images from the final confrontation that had driven the Nightmare Master back into the world's unconscious and away from Buffy at last.
He leaned up on his elbows and surveyed the room. Tara, Dawn, Willow and Xander lay sprawled, still unconscious, in the armchairs they must have brought in. Their bodies all bore the same arcane markings as his. They had pulled the bed into the centre of the room to make space for them all around.
A low moan made him turn his head; Buffy was beginning to wake. He rolled to his side beside her, slipping one arm about her waist. "Good morning, Sleeping Beauty," he said, leaning over to kiss her as she began to stir.
"Mmm..." she murmured against his lips. One of her hands came up to his cheek. Her eyes fluttered open gradually.
"Spike?" she asked, confused. Then as her awareness returned she realized where they were and what he was doing... and what his hands were doing. She yelled "Spike!" and slammed the heel of her hand into his solar plexus, sending him off the bed and sprawling to the floor.
"The hell?!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet. "What's going on?"
"That's what I should be asking you," she retorted. "There was this demon in the cemetery - and then you're in bed with me?" Buffy noticed the others around them beginning to revive. "What have you done to them?"
The accusation stung. "I haven't done a bloody thing to them. We've all been busy saving you from the Nightmare Master," he insisted. "You were attacked in the cemetery and trapped in a repeating set of nightmares. I brought you home and Tara sent me into your dreams after you. When I couldn't get you out by myself, the rest of them came after both of us."
"That's got to be the lamest story I've ever heard, even considering your usual standards," she said mockingly. She threw back the covers, but quickly pulled them over herself again when she realized she wore nothing but her tank top and underwear. "First that stupid plan with the demon eggs, and now this. What kind of scam is this, anyway?"
It's not a-" he began in frustration. "Don't you remember? How we fought your nightmares - and mine? You told me-"
"Did it work?" mumbled Dawn, interrupting him. "Are we back?" She saw Buffy sitting up in bed and moved quickly to her sister's side, capturing her in a fierce hug then settling beside her on the bed as though afraid Buffy would disappear any minute.
"The last thing I remember is that goopy demon," Buffy said. "Now you tell me I've been asleep and dreaming?" A dark image trembled at the edge of her awareness, then slipped away.
"Buffy," said Tara, sitting up carefully in her chair. "Spike brought you to us three days ago - at least I think it was only three days now. You were trapped in nightmares, and we did send him in after you, and then followed ourselves. I just don't remember what happened after that. Clearly we were successful."
"Xander, Willow," Spike pleaded, seeing them leaning forward and rubbing their eyes. "Tell Buffy what happened when we were fighting the Nightmare Master."
Willow shook her head. "I think there was something... were there frogs?" she asked apologetically. Xander had even less to offer, spreading his hands and shrugging his shoulders.
Spike turned to Dawn, knowing she'd not lie to him, but her eyes betrayed the same blankness and confusion that was affecting the others. "I'm sorry, Spike," she said. "But I only get these fragments - just like what always happens when I wake up from dreams."
"It seems rather convenient that you're the only one who can remember anything," Buffy pointed out.
"You as much as told me you loved me," he said. "Do you really think I would forget that?"
"Now I know at least one of us was dreaming," she replied caustically. "How long did it take you to plan this, once I told you it was over between us? I can't believe you actually thought I'd fall for it - telling me you had saved me from some fate worse than death just so I might consider seeing you again? You should have at least made sure someone would be able to back up your story."
Nothing had ever hurt as much as her words did, twisting in his heart. Not losing Dru. Not when she had damned near killed him, years ago. Not even when he had thought she was dead and gone. He did the only thing he could think of to ease the pain; he struck back. "Don't flatter yourself by exaggerating the effects of your charms, Goldilocks. You weren't ever that good. It's no wonder soldierboy needed something - and then someone else." He snatched up his tee shirt and clawed it over his head, jammed his boots on his bare feet, and turned for the door.
"Get out of my bedroom and out of my house and get the hell out of my life!" she shrieked, grabbing up the jewellery box from her beside table and flinging it, striking him between the shoulder blades and making him stagger. Rings and necklaces showered to the floor. She followed it up with a water glass that shattered against the door. His one hand left bloody streaks as he hurriedly pulled it shut behind him. "If I ever catch you anywhere near any of my friends again, I'll finish you off like I should have done years ago!" she yelled through the door.
"How could you!?" Dawn shouted, pushing back violently from where she sat next to Buffy on the bed. "I hate you!" She got up and dashed to the door, throwing it open and going after him. "Spike, wait!" she yelled, chasing him down the stairs.
Buffy drew her knees to her chest and dropped her face into her hands to hide her tears. Tara and Willow moved to either side of her on the bed and put their arms around her. Xander just looked uncomfortable.
"Shhh, sweetie," said Tara comfortingly. "Everything will be all right. We're all back together safely and that's all that really matters."
Buffy swiped at her tears angrily. "I can't believe he'd have the nerve to pull a stunt like this; getting someone to put a spell on me just so he could play the hero."
"I don't know," Willow said uncertainly. "He seemed to be really upset when he brought you in that night . . ."
"It's all an act," Buffy insisted. "Don't you see? It has to be. He's fooled everyone."
"It would explain a lot," Xander added, though his expression was doubtful. "Including why he never mentioned it was over between you two."
"I suppose so," Willow allowed, "It's only that-" she stopped, seeing Tara shake her head over Buffy's hunched form. "But like Tara said; the important thing is that we're all safe now," she continued.
"Everything's back to normal all right," Buffy said. "My life sucks and Dawn hates me again."
***********
Dawn caught him at the front steps. "Spike, wait!"
"Why? Buffy suddenly have a change of heart and beg me to return?" Dawn's expression couldn't conceal the true situation. "Thought not."
Spike surveyed the sky. No matter the day, it was at least an hour until sunrise. He turned to face Dawn with a sigh. "Sure, I helped her change the course of a few nightmares, but it wasn't anything she couldn't have done on her own, once she was aware she was dreaming. Then I was sucked into nightmares of my own, nightmares in which I didn't know her and nearly killed her. I could, you know - the chip won't stop me from hurting her now. And what if I can't stop myself? I'm just a bloody killer under it all."
Dawn said nothing. She'd always found Spike more fascinating than frightening, but finding out that something about Buffy had changed enough to allow him to attack her shook the foundations of her world. She shivered, but Spike went on, unheeding.
"When you lot showed up, what happens to me? I get possessed and used to attack you. Then when we ran into Jo- a group of humans, I can't do a thing, because this blasted chip can't tell the difference between them and real people." He drew a much-battered package of cigarettes from his pocket, fished through it until he found one that was relatively whole, and lit it.
"I'll love her until I'm dust, Bit, but she'll never love me - not outside of dreams, at any rate." He sighed smoke. "Maybe I should take this for what it is - an opportunity to break away out of a relationship that's every kind of wrong."
"It's not wrong!" Dawn insisted. "I think you guys are perfect for each other. Buffy's just too thick-headed to figure it out on her own."
He snorted. "That so, Bit? Then why can't she remember what she said to me in our dreams?" Why can I? This is hell and damnation here on earth, remembering how she talked to me, touched me - like I was someone she wanted.
"Take care of her for me, Dawn," he said, stepping off the stairs. "Since she won't let me do it."
She watched him walk away in the pre-dawn light, trailing a stream of smoke, until he turned the corner and was lost to her sight.