TITLE: Turn Back Time AUTHOR: Gemma Buckley DISCLAIMER: Joss Whedon, Mutant Enemy etc. own all characters (except Skylark who is the author's own creation). R Kelly owns the lyrics to "If I Could Turn Back the Hands of Time". Staind own the lyrics to "Outside". SETTING: After the end of season 4 - Adam has been defeated.

Spike sat in his crypt mulling things over. The botched science experiment; Adam had been killed by the Slayer. And he had not been staked. Big plus there. Spike took a drag on his cigarette and stood up. It was dusk and the sun had just set. He walked out into the graveyard and sensed that everything was quiet in his part. He knew that Buffy would be patrolling so he decided to go to a remote part of the graveyard where there weren't many graves. Therefore less likely for vamps to rise and less likely for Spike to bump into Buffy. As he strolled through the undergrowth, Spike thought about all the misgivings of the past year. Returning to Sunnydale with Harmony to find the Gem of Amara and failing. 'Nothing unusual' Spike thought glumly. Being caught by the Initiative and having a chip planted in his brain. 'Bloody Government poofs'. Nearly staking himself over the fact he couldn't kill humans anymore. 'What the hell was I thinking?!' Sneaking into the Initiative to gain information for the Scoobies on them and Adam. 'And receiving no gratitude!' Siding with Adam in the hope he would get the chip out of his head. 'Never did it even after all the hard work I went to!' Yes it had certainly been an eventful year. Spike sat himself on a gravestone and took out another cigarette. His vampire senses alerted him that an unfamiliar presence was in the vicinity. He sat still waiting for the creature to show itself. It wasn't human, that much Spike could tell. The bushes rustled and a tall, beautiful woman emerged. Spike could definitely admit he was shocked. This woman was stunning. She had long; dark hair with read streaks at the front. Her eyes were dark and penetrating. She wore black leather trousers with black boots similar to Spike's own. She had a tight, black leather top that showed off her impressive cleavage. She wore no heavy makeup, just a little light eyeshadow and lip-gloss to enhance her natural beauty. Spike could tell that this woman was old. Old as he even older maybe but there was no trace of it shown on her features. She smiled to reveal perfect, gleaming white teeth. When she spoke, her accent was a soft English one with an American twang. "Hello. Never thought I'd find anybody lurking this far in the shadows". Spike shrugged and stood up. "Surely a feller's entitled to a little alone time?" The stranger smiled again. "Indeed. Forgive me I have forgotten my manner's". She held out a perfectly manicured hand. "My name is Skylark". Spike took Skylark's hand and shook it. "Spike" he said simply. "Ah the famous William the Bloody, yes I'd heard you were in these parts still". Spike raised his eyebrows. "You've heard of me then". Skylark laughed, a gentle laugh that flowed like water. Spike had to admit he was quite taken with this woman. "How could I not, hanging around with the Scurge of Europe, Angelus". Spike frowned. "Oops did I mention the dreaded 'A' word?" Spike shrugged again and stubbed out his cigarette, crumpling it under his boot. "Have to admit we used to hang out a lot but when he got all 'soul happy' he forgot his family and buggered off to America". Spike jolted remembering he had used the same words as Drusilla when they had first found out. "Ah but I've heard you cannot harm humans yourself". "Yeah but mine is through force, not choice". Spike looked at Skylark with an amused looked on his face. "You do know a fair bit". Skylark flashed that gorgeous smile of hers again and said, "I get around". Spike eyed her. "I bet you do". Still smiling, Skylark took a twenty from the back pocket of her trousers. "Why don't we discuss this further over a drink?" Spike looked at the twenty, then looked at Skylark. "Sure. Why the hell not. Got nothin' better to do". And so the two trekked off towards The Bronze.