"What do you--"

He didn't have time to finish his question before there was a flash and a momentary sense of disorientation. Light flooded behind his eyes and he was filled with sudden strength and power. When he returned to his senses he was sitting on top of the sarcophagus in his old crypt, and somewhere, someone was banging loudly. He barely had enough time to register his whereabouts when the door to his crypt burst open and Buffy came storming in. At first he was frozen, certain that she had come to stake him just moments after his soulful return to Sunndydale, but second glance revealed a Buffy he hadn't seen since before the mess with Glory, since before she died

"I've got a proposition for you," she announced tersely.

"Buffy?" he said, taking in the long hair, flashing eyes, tight lips.

Stunned, he looked at his hands, whole, unmarred by burns and wounds. He felt his chest and face, examining his body until Buffy punched him.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, grabbing his bleeding nose. "What did you do that for, you bloody bitch?"

Voice steady, full strength, not rasped and raw from countless screams. Its volume surprised him.

"To get your attention, blood breath. You were spacing out on me," came the angry reply.

Spike blinked, still disoriented and confused, then wiped his nose as he looked at her. "Yeah? Well, you got it."

She pulled out a wad of bills and showed them to him. "Riley's sick. It's some Initiative thing."

He stared at the money, then swiveled his head around to take in the rest of his crypt. Her words triggered his memory; a memory of another time when she had come storming into his crypt, money in hand, asking for help finding Riley.

'But that was almost two years ago'

"Hey, Earth to Spike! What the hell is wrong with you? Did you drink expired blood or something?" Buffy demanded.

"Riley ticker's not workin' right," he whispered, eyes meeting hers.

"How did you know that?" she snapped, her eyes widening.

"The Initiative. They used their soldier boys for lab rats. Read about it when I was working with that Adam bloke. You think he might be hiding in the caves."

Buffy gave him a wary look, and he continued, "You want me to look for him."

"That was the plan. We've got a doctor who can help him waiting on the fourth floor of the hospital."

Spike shook his head, still not understanding what was happening, but beginning to piece it all together.

"Even if I do find him, I won't be able to bring him in. The Chip won't let me and I can't defend myself against him," he offered.

"Just find him. I can do the rest," she replied, lowering her eyes at the mention of his chip.

"I find him, leave to tattle on his whereabouts, and he's moved by the time we get back. No go, Slayer, you come with. We'll find him together. Then you can bring him down and I won't get a migraine."

She pursed her lips, then stuffed the bills back into her coat pocket. "Deal. You'll get paid when we find Riley."

He nodded, ignoring her surprised look. "Fair enough, but I need a bit of time. Meet me at the caves in twenty minutes."

"We have to leave now."

"And I don't track on an empty stomach," he retorted.

She blanched. "Fine, but meet me in ten minutes. It doesn't take you that long to drink a couple of bags of blood."

"Fifteen and not a minute sooner," he bargained, then motioned for her to leave.

She moved to go, then turned around sharply. "Spike, if"

"If I'm not there, you'll stake me. Yeah yeah. Get goin,' time's a wastin' and I got my dinner to eat. Run along, Slayer, I'll be there in a jif."

It seemed that she might argue, then thought the better of it and stomped out of the crypt. After the door closed behind her, he let out a sigh of relief and looked around. It was definitely his crypt, but before he had redecorated.

'Bastard went an' did it'

To confirm his theory, he hopped off the sarcophagus and lifted the lid. Harmony popped out as he expected.

"So? What'd she say about me?"

He really wasn't surprised to see her, even as she lifted herself out of the tomb. While he may have been many things in his un-life, stupid wasn't one of them. It may have taken him a minute or two, but he'd already figured out that the demon had somehow transported him back in time; back into his own body, almost two years in the past. Still, seeing Harmony again caused his soul to twinge.

'Well, that answers that question. Still have the soul. I'd better, after what I went through to get it. There would've been Hell to pay if he'd sent me back without it. Wanker probably saved my life, or unlife for that matter, as well.'

"Nothin' luv. Wasn't you she was after."

Harmony's eyes grew wide and frightened. "Oh! She's not after you, is she? What if something happened to you? Who'll hide me if she stakes you!"

He swallowed his irritation, remembering all too well how she could annoy him, but he had other, more pressing matters to attend to. He put his hand on her arm to calm her.

"Nothin' to worry about, luv. I just gotta go out for a bit. You stay here and be safe, okay?"

"Okay," she tearfully agreed. "Just, be careful."

Her look softened him somewhat. He'd been so cruel to her, so angry with her. He'd used her as Buffy would later use him. She hadn't deserved it.

"I will. Now be a good girl and stay here. Hide if anyone comes by."

She gave him a nod, her eyes watery. "I love you, Blondie Bear."

He managed a smile, then slipped out, mind racing as he headed for the caves. If Soldier Boy was still around that meant all the trouble with Glory had yet to happen, and that meant he could stop it all from ever happening to begin with. It meant that he could protect Dawn and help Buffy and save Joyce.

"Oh God," he breathed, even as he quickened his pace. Joyce was still alive, and just beginning to get sick if he remembered correctly.

'All the light went out of her eyes when her mum died'

If he could warn them in advance, keep the blood clot from becoming a problem

'Joyce would live, and Buffy and the Nibblet wouldn't have to bury their mum. I'd never take Nibblet to see Doc, so he'd never know about 'er bein' the Key' Glory! Glory was coming, she'd be after Dawn! 'And I'll know her moves. And her weakness.'

He paused, getting his bearings, before setting out again.

'I have to find a way to kill Ben.'