Chapter 4 The house was in darkness, Dawn looked at the clock on the bedside table 2:00am. Tara had gone to bed several hours ago, the others had still not returned otherwise she would have heard them. She was still puzzled as to why they had left so suddenly. Giving up any pretence of trying to sleep she pulled back the covers and sat up. The slight thud of the back door could be heard, thinking they must be back now she quietly crept to her slightly opened door and listened for voices. It was quiet and still, something didn't seem right to her, she was sure she hadn't imagined the noise.

"Better get reinforcements" She said to herself.

Dawn knelt on the floor and put her hand under the bed, fumbling around until her hand rested on the baseball bat.

Spike entered the Summers home through the backdoor, cursing as the wind caught it, closing it none too gently. He stood still, listening to see if any one had heard it. After a few seconds he relaxed and opened the basement door, flicking on the switch proceeded down the stairs. The room was filled with cardboard boxes, luckily for Spike they were all neatly labelled. Joyce could not be faulted for her organisation skills he thought gladly. He located the box with 'Family photos' scrawled on the side.

Opening the box he stared into Buffy's eyes. After she had told him the only chance he had had with her, was when she was unconscious, he'd returned all the pictures of her that he previously stolen. It looked like no one had been in the box since as his favourite picture of her was still at the top of the pile. He snatched it out of the box and stuffed it in his pocket.

"Spike! What are you doing in the basement?" said Dawn.

"Shhhhhhh" said Spike urgently

"It's okay, only Tara and I are home at the moment and she is asleep upstairs" Dawn informed him.

"Well we wouldn't want to wake the witch would we?" said Spike meaningfully.

Dawn frowned at him, "I know something is going on! The others have been gone for hours, as usual no one tells me anything". She finished angrily.

"Haven't got the time to explain now nibblet, times a wasting," He said, quickly kissing her on the forehead.

With that Spike was gone, Dawn looked at the box Spike had been searching through, what would he want with those? She thought to herself. There was something familiar to this entire scenario.

"Think brain think!" she said aloud. Suddenly she remembered,

"Spike!" she shouted urgently, but it was no use, he was long gone.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The Magic Box was a piece of cake; Spike was in through the back door in seconds. Giles really should think about updating the security on this place he mused. He had expected one of the scoobies to be guarding the place but it was deserted. He quickly located the things needed for the ritual, stuffing it all into one of the Magic Box's shiny bags. Well that was the easy part he congratulated himself. He still had a grumpy Gorrah demon to deal with.

He entered Buffy's training room and removed a large axe from the wall, pausing for a moment he savoured the scent of her, which clung to the room like a second skin. The bell from the front door of the Magic box jangled, waking Spike from his stupor. He quickly ran out into the night as Giles and Xander entered the shop.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Spike entered the sewer, leaving the bags near the entrance; raising the axe in readiness. Last time he had been here, Dawn had come with him. He turned the corner, which opened out, into a larger chamber. There in the filth lay the Gorrah demon with a nest full of eggs. Unfortunately he did not have the element of surprise this time, as the Gorrah was very much awake. Inching slowly forward he struck at the snarling monster with it's multiple heads.

He emerged from the sewer five minutes later clutching an egg under his arm, he picked up his bags and headed for the initiative caves. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The sky was growing lighter as Spike entered the caves. He had been worried that one of the scoobies might have guessed where he had hidden the body, but she was still there; maybe luck was on his side after all. He got his lighter out and lit the candles he had swiped from the Magic Box, setting them down on the cave floor.

He proceeded to make a sacred circle. Placing a bowl and Buffy's photo in the middle. Spike cracked the egg over the bowl. Everything was ready for him to begin the incantation. Spike knelt down beside Buffy; he picked up her hand and raised it to his lips.

"Soon luv" He whispered in the silence.

He sat on the floor, keeping hold of Buffy's hand.

"Bone flesh breath, yours eternally, bone flesh breath, I beg of you return to me". He chanted three times.

His eyes never leaving Buffy's pale face. Her body lay motionless, no sign the incantation had worked. Spike's shoulders slumped in defeat, still clasping Buffy's cold dead hand. His head shot up as he felt a slight movement beneath his fingers. He felt her wrist, there was weak pulse beating beneath the skin. Buffy's eyes snapped open; she gasped huge lungfuls of air into her body. She sat up and screamed.

It was the loudest blood-curdling scream Spike had ever hear in his unlife, and he'd heard a few. He leant over her, gently trying to shake her, she continued to wail, Spike lifted his hand and briskly slapped her face. He hated himself for striking her but it was all he could think of to do, it had the desired effect; she closed her mouth and looked into his eyes.