Title : Raindrops on Roses

Rating : We're just gonna go with PG-13, at the moment it's like G or PG or something, but I know eventually that's gonna change, so lets just keep the whole thing PG-13...of course if I bring it into R territory then I'll have to change it.

Summary: A girl from Spike's past shows up in Sunnydale bearing ominous news.

Disclaimer : I own nothing, not even a teeny bit. Tisn't mine. I only kidnapped the lil' charries for a bit, but sadly enough they all belong to Joss Whedon and ME.

Setting : This is up to season six somewhere then AU. Not sure of the exact episode where I would place this. Spike and Buffy have started doing the horizontal rumba. Also in my little universe Willow never got all addicted to magic, so Tara never left. Umm…well, as of yet I have no idea what else I'm gonna change, but don't be at all surprised if things really don't follow what happened

A/N: This is my first fan fic -ever-. I'd be eternally grateful if you'd R + R, like to know whatcha all think of my attempt. Comments, criticism, its all good. J

A/N: Heh, changed this story around multiple times. Think I finally have it how I want it and won't need to repost it anymore. Also, when I do the characters thinking or talking to themselves its rather disorganized and not always comprehensible. Who thinks all nice and logically?

Chapter One : Slayer Dreams

* * *

Summoner of the end and the beginning.

From whence the yawning abyss infernal regions manifest.

Bearing tribute to the darkness.

A gruesome creature lurked in the shadows, relatively unseen except for the slight illumination offered by the blindingly bright symbols that were written on the paper of the night. It's narrowed slits of eyes shone a brilliant green for the space of a second and then went a murkey black. Darkness swirled around her and from it figures took form, created out of the darkness. Creatures of nightmares and horror stories.

* * *

Buffy awoke with a start, her heart racing as she bolted upright in bed. A quick glance around showed her that her bedroom was empty. Everything was as it should be, there was no movement save for the gentle ruffling of the curtains by a breeze. She dragged her hands through her blonde locks, her heart rate slowing, her breathing becoming even once more, and she slowly lowered her head back down to the pillow with a sigh. She wished she had the comfort that most people had of consoling herself with the knowledge that it was just a dream. But the Slayer knew better. Tomorrow she'd talk to her friends and see if they could come up with anything. That dream had practically shouted 'slayer prophetic dream' at her. With that thought she drifted back off to a this time dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next evening the Scoobies all sat around the table in the Magic Box. Stacks of books were strewn haphazardly over the table top as the group searched through the tombs of demonic lore.

"You know, this would be a whole lot easier if everyone throughout the course of history spoke the same way. What's wrong with modern English? Who needs all this 'From whence the yawning abyss infernal legions manifest'? How about; 'Yeah, and those evil dudes, they came from the Hellmouth.' Much more comprehendible, really."

The group circling the table glanced up briefly as Xander spoke, exchanging a look, before ignoring his grumbles and returning to the research.

Xander huffed, "What? Normal language is our friend."

"Oh!" The redheaded witch at the far end of the table perked up, the others glancing to her expectantly. After a moment her face fell, "…Er, never mind…unless anyone was interested in making their toenails grow real fast?"

"It's on my to do list." The blonde slayer stated dryly. After a moment she snapped shut the book that she had been skimming though. "That's it. I can't find anything that relates to the dream, and my eyes are starting to blur. I'm going to patrol."

She pushed back from the table and stood up. The platinum blonde vampire sitting on a chair in the corner -- not quite a part of the group -- rose as well, putting his own book on a nearby shelf.

"I'll tag along." He glanced at Buffy, intensely blue eyes almost daring her to argue. Spike knew full well that she wasn't interested in his company and, if truth be told, he wasn't quite sure he was up to an oh so joyous round of 'kick-the-spike' tonight, but if he had to read through one more text he was going to go bloody insane. Going patrolling was the lesser of two evils. Besides, killing something might just improve his temperament.

Buffy opened her mouth to protest then quickly shut it when she noticed his gaze.

"Fine, whatever." She glanced over at the rest of the Scoobies. "Tara, Willow, will you make sure you guys get Dawn home before eleven?"

"But.." The teen started to whine, but a glare from her sister silenced her and had her slouching back in her seat with a scowl.

"Call me if you find anything."

Xander gave Buffy an absent salute as he flipped through the pages of the book before him.

Buffy grabbed her leather jacket that rested over a chair and headed for the door, the blonde vampire following in her wake. She slipped the jacket on, then froze suddenly as an icy chill swept through her, like subzero tentacles snaking up her spine. She shivered once, glancing at the door; it hadn't been opened.

"Whoa, major chill. Did you feel that?" She asked Spike, forgetting who, or more accurately, what, her companion was for a moment.

Spike quirked one scarred brow at her,

"Uh, vampire, luv. Remember?" With that he opened the door to the Magic Box and swaggered out into the night, leaving Buffy to follow.

* * *