TITLE: "The Tell-Tale Hearts"
AUTHOR: Elise D. (aka LilHairyEyeball)
FEEDBACK: Gimme gimme. Just be gentle.
SUMMARY: AU version of the Season 5 climax
SPOILERS: Up through the Gift
RATING: R for naughty words and bad touching.
DISCLAIMER: Nobody buys me good presents, so I steal other peoples.

---

"That's it? A little chant, a little hopping, and everything is hunky dory again, including Glenda and our resident hostage? Excuse me if I don't burst with the excitement of it all."

Giles pinched the bridge of his nose. These people were going to be the death of him. Just once, he'd like a plan to be decided without the constant criticism. Just once.

"Spike, for the last time; either give us helpful input, or sod the hell off, and let the people who care concentrate."

Spike leapt from his chair, the only thing holding him back from Rupert was a small blonde, who was also scowling in the Watcher's direction.

"Don't. Don't ever question my feelings for Dawn. Ever!" growled Spike, with a point of his finger. He shrugged lose the hold of his Slayer, and stormed into the training room with a slam of the door and the rapid footsteps of Buffy following after him. All heads turned to face Giles, and he began to feel the intense scrutiny.

"What? Oh, for heaven's sake! He is a vampire. He has convinced himself that he is in love with Buffy, and by extension, Dawn. We do not need him to be pissing down on us, when we have important decisions to make."

Xander shook his head. "G-man, for all the book-learning, you sure are kinda slow on the uptake, aren't ya?" With that, he pushed his chair from the table, and walked to the cash register, where his soon-to-be fiancé was cashing out for the night.

Giles looked around the face before him, confusion evident on his face.

"Xander? Xander is now supporting Spike and his delusions? What has gotten into you people?"

Willow smiled wanly at her mentor, and chose her words carefully, knowing that one tactical error, and the store would be a much dustier place.

"Giles. Xander and Spike have had time to bond. It was guy violence bonding time stuff. With beer, from what I hear. We've also all seen how Spike acts around Dawnie. What he feels for Buffy, I don't know. But I do know one thing. He would die for Dawn, and he's scared to death . . . or life, whatever, for her safety. You probably really hurt his feelings?"

"Feelings?" Giles blustered, "Willow, this is Spike we're talking about. Spike! He, who chained your best friend to a wall and threatened to feed her to Drusilla, should she spurn his advances. The same Spike who created a," he spat the word out, "sex-bot to fulfill his twisted fantasy.

Dawn let out a squeal of frustration. "Giles, stop! I like Spike! He makes me feel safe, and he will protect me to the ends of the earth. Leave it alone! Okay?"

Willow just watched the young girl, as the color rose in her cheeks from the outburst. Xander chuckled his appreciation, and Giles unceremoniously slumped back into his chair.

"Fine. You children do what you will, just remember my warnings. Remember my concerns, and remember whom you need turn to, should thinks take a turn. For now, I shall remain quiet. If not for Dawn and Buffy's sake, than for the harmony in the group until we can complete this ritual. Willow, make up a list of ingredients you'll need. Anya and Xander, help her gather them. Dawn . . . help me make some tea, would you? I'm sure our guest must be feeling rather parched at this juncture.

Ben nodded, from the confines of his containment spell and chains. "Tea would be . . . nice."

---

"Are you okay?" Buffy hovered near the door, not wanting to invade the frustrated vampire's personal space when he was so tense.

"Yeah, I'll be right as rain when this whole thing is over. I just want this thing bloody well done, already" he sighed, sitting quietly on one of the mats, where Buffy soon joined him.

"Well, don't think you're the only one with doubts, okay? I'm pretty skeptical about this whole ritual, but I trust Giles and Willow, and they'll get it done."

"I trust them too, pet. I do. I'm just . . ."

"Worried?" asked Buffy, with a quirk of her lips. "I get that, I do. We all do. We've just got to hold it together. For Dawn."

Spike held her gaze for a moment, before sighing softly and shaking his head.

"Yeah. I shoulda thought of that. Gotta keep strong for the bit. I will. I will"

"That British stiff upper lip, and all that, right?" asked Buffy with a laugh.

"Oh, good one Slayer. Haven't heard that one before. Right clever of you, if I do say so myself."

Buffy laughed, and nudged him with her shoulder. This was nice. The quiet. The laughter. There just wasn't enough of it going around at the moment.

"Hey, Spike? Have I thanked you yet?"

Spike tilted his head in confusion. "What for, luv? I haven't done a thing."

"That's kinda the point, Spike. You've just been . . .here. For us. For me. It's nice, and . . . I'm glad. So, thank you.

Spike shifted uncomfortably. Just like the Slayer, to go and change the rules mid-play. Now she was being friendly, and he was just adjusting to the seething hatred to compliment his adoration.

"Well, you're welcome. I guess. I mean, I just. Oh, balls; I don't know what I mean. I'm here, though. Here to help, to save the sodding world. Again."

"Yeah, so I noticed. That's becoming a pretty bad habit with you, isn't it, Mr. Big Bad?" giggled Buffy, as she got up from the floor, and walked over to the weapons wall. "So? Wanna kill some time, and get your ass kicked, Spikey?"

"Oh Slayer, I thought you'd never ask."

---

"And Spike? Can you take Tara, and stand over by the green candle?"

Willow was in full work mode now. Setting up the floor for the ritual, and giving the gang their jobs for the night. Ben was sitting in the middle of a sand circle, still chained for safety, with Xander standing directly in front of him. Anya and Giles were acting as points, each holding a pungent sachet of herbs, and a jar of green liquid. Buffy was to the left, holding a large piece of driftwood, with Dawn opposite, holding a dagger of silver. Spike gently lead Tara over to the candle in question, just behind Ben, and cooed quietly in her ear, causing Buffy to smile to herself. That vamp sure was something.

"Okay guys, it's almost time. No matter what happens, do not move from your position. I may black out, or scream, or turn bright purple, I don't know. But let the ritual finish. Do you understand?"

She glanced around at the nervous nodding, and took a deep breath. "Okay, here goes everything…"

---

Willow walked into the circle and stood at the left of Ben. Buffy couldn't say what happened next. One minute Willow was muttering something under her breath, the next minute her eyes had gone jet black, she'd grabbed a hold of both Ben and Tara, and everything had become brighter than the sun.

By the time she came too, she was slumped in strong arms, with the heavy scent of burnt . . . flesh? Filling her nose. She jumped up with a start, to realize that Spike had been holding her, and he was looking pretty worse for wear. Not as bad as his day with Glory though, so she took the time to survey the damage.

Dawn was across the room, smiling brightly as she spoke quietly with Tara. That was good. Tara seemed alert and coherent, so at least something had gone right. Xander was on the floor next to the counter, stroking an unconscious Willow's hair, while Giles and Anya hovered above them. Ben was . . . missing?

"Where is he? What happened? Are we all okay? No shrimp world or anything?"

Giles lifted his head to look at his Slayer. "Yes, everything appears to have gone according to plan. It was most extraordinary! Ben is in the training room, sleeping off the results of the spell. We'll be taking Willow home shortly, as she seems to be rather burnt out. But yes, other than that, we seem to have survived the ritual. Anya has already put young Ben through several tests, and he appears to be free from any other-worldly properties, so I'd say this was a resounding victory, wouldn't you?"

Buffy faltered, unsure of what to say, or do. They'd live? Dawn was safe and Glory was gone? Everything went according to plan? Did that happen in their lives? It was all too much for the Slayer, and she did the only thing that felt right. She promptly fainted.

---

Buffy awoke the second time, to the pleasant sensation of having her hair stroked. A girl could really get use to all the tenderness.

"Mmm, Spike. What time is it?" The hand stroking her hair froze, before a slightly more feminine voice than expected replied, with amusement.

"It's almost noon, you've been out of it for a while" Buffy sat up, to face her smirking sister, "and Spike? Oh, I'm thinking definitely it's time we had a little sisterly bonding session, don't you?"