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 6 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. J

A/N: Thanx ever so much to all those who reviewed! Makes me very happy. Heh.

Chapter Two : Whispers

The vampire and Slayer made their way through the familiar graveyard in a less than companionable silence; each lost in their own thoughts.

Spike was being surprisingly silent tonight, the Slayer thought. Making none of the sly, sexy innuendos he normally seemed to so enjoy taunting her with. She wouldn't have admitted it under threat of torture, but she was almost disappointed. Annoying though it may be, verbally sparring with the blonde vamp was always entertaining. Besides. she fidgeted, absently twirling her stake in her hand; silent Spike was just unnerving.

Spike glanced briefly at his companion from the corner of his eyes, wondering what had her so strung up. With a mental shrug he's mind trailed back to his own thoughts. The Slayer really was an immense pain in his ass. To bad he hadn't killed her way back when, then he wouldn't be having these difficulties. Of course, he couldn't rectify these problems by killing her now. No. He had to go and fall bloody head over heels for the petite blonde. He'd thought things would be better after that night in the building. Them shagging and all. But no, cause that's all it was for her -- sex. No feelings, no nothing. She still treated him like crap, but no matter, protect her and hers till the sodding end of the world, he would. 'Cause he loved her. Bugger it.

A rustling sounded in the bushes to their left and the two halted as three newly risen vampires leapt out from the dark foliage.

"Looky here, a midnight snack." One of the vamps said.

Buffy rolled her eyes, sighing.

"You guys really need to come up with some new lines. 'Midnight snack'? I hear that one at least once a week. C'mon, I should at least get some original witty banter before I kill you."

Simultaneously the bleached vamp and the slayer spun out with a roundhouse kick to two vampires closest to them. Despite the intricacies of hate and love that formed their relationship, for lack of a better term, the duo was still perfectly attuned to each other.

After an extremely brief scuffle the three vampires were floating away in the breeze, with neither Spike nor Buffy much worse for wear.

Buffy sighed as they once again resumed their patrol through the graveyard. She almost wished the three vampires had been more of a challenge, they'd offered a welcome, but all too brief, distraction from her thoughts. Now it was back to the uncomfortable silence. She lifted her gaze to glance over at Spike, the vamp was sauntering beside her, his face impassive. She opened her mouth, then shut it again, returning her attention back to the graveyard. Didn't look like there would be anymore beasties tonight.

* * *

"This is boring. I think we should stop now, Xander. This taking up my valuable sex time." Anya whined to her fiancé.

Dawn made a 'ew' face and Willow glanced up from the scripture she was reading.

"Anya's right." She quickly backpedaled, "N-not about the whole lack of sex time thing, but we probably should stop. Its getting late, we're getting no where."

The Scoobies all nodded their agreement and the books were shut, stacked neatly in piles and on shelves. Mumbling goodnights to each other, the gang filed out of the Magic Box, with Willow, Tara, and Dawn heading to the Summers' house and Anya and Xander to their home after closing up the store.

Anya shut the door to the Magic Box and it whispered closed with what sounded a lot like an exasperated sigh.

The inside of the store was dark and silent, the only illumination coming from the faint glow of the street lights outside. Everything was still inside the shop, everything in its place; books were stacked neatly, myriad crystals and other assorted magical 'goodies' lined the countertops each giving off their own ethereal glow. As the moon moved higher into the blanket of darkness that was night, the draperies inside the Magic Box rustled, which was odd for the complete lack of motion in the shop. There was a loud 'thunk', the dull sound of something heavy and metal connecting with wood followed by the eerie sound of parchment flipping madly.

In a moment it had halted and once again everything was still in the shop, the whispers of movement could very have well been a product of someone's imagination.

The silence had returned and it appeared that nothing had occurred; none of the merchandise was missing from the shelves or counters, nor was any of it misplaced, all of it remaining as Anya had left it.

Except there. Over on the table were the Scoobies had been researching. A heavy volume, its dark leather bindings reinforced with tarnished silver, lay open on the top of the table. The left page pictured a faded replica of a demonic hell beast, large and ominous looking. Claws and fangs, scaly body armor, and an obvious aura of evil decorated the creature.

And in the shadow of the faint moonlight that seeped into the Magic Box its eyes seemed to glow a feral green.