Spike had a dream that night.  He dreamed of Drusillia, of Prague, of what had happened.  Spike was running, in front of him he could see an angry mob, armed with pitchforks, crosses and torches.  "Drusillia!  Dru!"  Spike screamed, panicked.  However, he could see her, approaching the mob, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"My Spike."  Drusillia said, turning back to Spike and speaking to him, knowing that his vampire hearing would allow him to understand what she was saying.  "I must be near the pretty fire."

"Dru!  No!"  Spike screamed, approaching the mob.  However, it was too late.  An angry man had thrust the fiery edge of the torch into her stomach, and the entire mob was watching in morbid fascination as she went up in flames.

"Oh god no."  Spike whispered, kneeling in front of the pile of ashes that was all that remained of Drusillia.  She hadn't even screamed, hadn't even cried out in pain.  She had instead, simply reached through her mind and called to Spike.  "The flames are so warm, they're so pretty.  They dance for me my sweet William.  They dance for me like the daisies in the valley."  Spike's face changed to reveal his demon…

            Spike awoke with a start, his unnecessary breath came in small gasps.  The vampire remembered what had come next, he had killed them.  All of them.  And not only the mob, but their families and friends.  It was the greatest, most bloody vampire massacre in the entire history of demons.  Spike had left the entire town in ruins.  He had drained everyone in the town, and after that, set fire to the church.  Two days later, when Spike returned, the entire town was burnt to the ground.

            Mercaptil had told Spike he would dream of Drusillia, that his dream would be the sign that the spell was working.  However, Spike had just realized something.  This was no dream, this was the past.  There was a difference.  Dreams…dreams were things that Spike shared with Buffy.  Dreams were hopes of the future, and reflections of the past.  What Spike had just gone through was the past.  Drusillia was his past.  Buffy, the slayer was his future.  Spike needed to make sure that the spell was stopped.  He didn't want Drusillia back.  He wanted Buffy.  Spike was persistent, confident, often arrogant.  But more than that, he was a dreamer.  And he would make sure that his dreams of Buffy understanding him, his dreams of he and Buffy together again, with no more lies, became a reality.

"Well I'll be damned," Spike whispered.  "After two hundred some years of being alive, I think I'm finally maturing…"

            Buffy fumbled blindly around for the phone.  She groaned as she picked it up.  "Hello."

"Hey sweetie."  Buffy's mother's familiar voice said.

"Hi mom."  Buffy whispered into the phone, moving herself into a sitting position.

"How are you holding up?"  Her mother asked.  "I spoke to Mr. Giles and he suggested I let you sleep today.  He said you didn't feel well last night when you two were studying"

"I'm…" Buffy's voice trailed off as the past night's events came back to her.  It hurt so badly.  "I'm okay."  Buffy finished, biting her lip as she tried to hold back tears.

"Honey, if you want I can come back home."  Joyce suggested.

"I have to go."  Buffy whispered.  "Bye."  The slayer hung up without giving her mother a chance to respond.

            Buffy didn't think she had any more tears to cry.  However, as soon as the phone was hung up, the slayer allowed tears to flow freely down her face.  Her hazel eyes glossed over and she let out sobs, strong sobs that wracked her entire body.  However, Buffy didn't have time to fully cry before the phone rang once more.

"Hello."  Buffy whispered into the receiver.

"Hey Buffy."  Willow said perkily.

"Hey Will."

"Giles told me…what happened.  Are you okay?"  Willow asked.  However, before Buffy had a chance to respond she spoke again.  "Sorry, stupid question."

"I don't know Willow.  I honestly don't know how I feel.  Right now it hurts so badly, but there's another part of me that feels numb.  I feel like it'll only get worse.  Oh Willow"  Buffy began sobbing, "I feel like I'll die."

"Oh Buffy.  Do you want me to come over?"  Willow asked.  "It's lunch right now, and after that all I have is one period.  I can come over after school."  Willow suggested.

"No.  I'm okay.  Thanks though."  Buffy said.

"If your sure."  Willow said, obviously not wanting to leave Buffy alone all night.

"I'll live."  Buffy whispered.  The two hung up.  Buffy allowed sobs to once again form in her throat.  The slayer fell asleep crying.

            "Spike."  Willow whispered.  The redhead had skipped her lunch hour and gone to the mansion, where Buffy said she and Spike often went to be alone.

"Buffy?"  Spike asked hopefully, coming out of the room where he had been sleeping.  Spike's shirt was off and his hair was not in it's usual slicked back, instead it flowed more freely.

"It's me."  Willow said as Spike rubbed his eyes and looked upon her.

"Does slayer know your here?"  Spike asked, it was the first thing that crossed his mind, the idea that the slayer may have sent Willow, her best friend to talk for her.

"No."  Willow replied.  And Spike's hope was crushed.

"What are you doing here then?"  Spike asked, his voice soft yet warning.

"Buffy told us all what happened.  We all know."  Willow said.

"So what then.  Come here to kill me?"  Spike asked.  "Have a piece of wood nearby with my name on it."

"Giles and Xander will stake you.  I know they're planning something."  Willow said.

"And you think they'll kill me."  Spike said.  "I'm stronger than you could imagine little girl."  Spike said, his voice hard and cold.  However, Willow saw his sadness.  "Or are you worried that maybe I'll kill them?"  Spike asked.

"You won't kill them."  Willow said confidently.

"Why not?"  Spike asked, raising one eyebrow.

"Because you still love Buffy.  That's why your not killing her now, and it's why you never planned on killing her."  Willow said.

"It's true.  But she'll never believe me."  Spike said, speaking to himself more than willow.  "She's everything to me.  She's my dream.  But she's more amazing because she's real.  It's like my entire life I thought dreams were something to hope for, to wish for but never achieve, the way you can never catch the horizon, no matter how hard you run.  But she's here, and she's real, and I lost her.  I feel like the sky just faded away.  I feel like there is no horizon.  I feel like the world has ended."  Spike finished in a whisper.

"If I get her here, will you talk?  Will you promise not to hurt her?"  Willow asked.

"I love her.  I will do anything for her.  And I will never, ever hurt her."  Spike said, staring Willow strait in the eyes and speaking sincerely.  Willow nodded before turning to leave.  However, Spike spoke as she reached the door.

"You're a good friend red.  No matter what happens between the slayer and I.  I know I don't deserve her, or her forgiveness.  You know it too.  But you also know that she's in pain, and you've come to me to try and help her.  She's lucky to have you."  Spike said, finishing in a whisper.

"Just don't let me down Spike."  Willow said.  "And I'll see what I can do."

"Who shall say that the maiden so pretty and fair shall always have the greater man; and the ogre who walks to the beat of thundering clouds will never find her prince?"
Source Unknown

*There it is folks.  Your beacon of light.  Hope you enjoyed!  Reviews please.  Oh, and I'm talking about long involved reviews filled with both good AND bad.  Sorry to be picky, just that I need constructive critisism.*