Chapter Fourteen

"You put a spell on me?" Buffy burst into Spike's crypt to find him standing in front of the TV fiddling with the dial.

He instantly looked up at her. "What?"

"You put a spell on me." She moved up closer to him, stopping just inches from his body, her stance angry and defiant.

"I don't know what the bloody hell you're talking about. I didn't put a spell on you." He stared at her quizzically, searchingly.

"Giles said you did. Said something about a cave demon, or something."

Spike took a step back. He seemed visibly shaken. "Right," he mumbled to himself. "Look, luv," he looked up at her, "there was no spell. There is no spell. What happened with that demon had nothing to do with you."

"Giles says it does. Giles says there's a black cloud hanging over my head and someone's put a curse on me."

"Oh god no!" He seemed confused, at a loss, more uncertain of what was going on than she was. "No. That's not what I went there for."

"Went where for?" she demanded.

"To Africa," he clarified. "I went to Africa, but it had nothing to do with you."

"Oh really?" She stalked up beside him. "Think again."

"I am." He raised his hand to his head, visibly wracking his brain. "I didn't do anything. I made a deal with this demon, for myself, not for you."

Buffy glared at him.

"Look, I seriously don't know what's happened. Did Giles say anything else?"

"Just that I shouldn't trust you. And hey? That's not really a problem."

"I didn't do anything. I swear."

"What about the soul?"

"Oh bleedin' hell!" he stormed. "Would you just get past the whole soddin' soul business? I told you before that you're wrong about it. Can we just get past it? Could you just kill me now and get it over with?"

"Not until I know what's going on with this hex that's hanging over my head." She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at him. "It has something to do with the dreams too. I'm sure of it."

"The dreams?" he stared at her, genuine confusion clouding his gaze.

"The dreams? The nightmares, I've been having? The strange way they always lead me to you."

"No," Spike pulled his eyes away and mumbled to himself. "You said I didn't hurt you in those dreams. I asked you and you said--"

"You don't."

"Then why do you think this has somethin' to do with the demon?"

"Giles does."

"Oh well, if Giles thinks it, then it must be true."

"I don't know what else to think," she said, calmly. "I've been dreaming about you. Seeing you, when I'm asleep. I saw William. I saw you in China. In New York. In all sorts of times and places that I've never been before."

Spike covered his head with his hands and began pacing about the floor. "No, this isn't happening. You . . ." he looked up at her, "you're having them too?"

"Too?"

"Yeah, luv, too. As in also? Although, mine don't go blithely along like moving picture postcards. You say I never hurt you in these dreams? Well, I've done enough damage in my own to haunt me for a lifetime."

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think I mean? What do you think I dream about every night? Every day? What do you think I see when I close my eyes? There's only one horror on this earth that could ever . . ." his voice trailed off.

"I don't know what's going on Spike. But I'm going to find out."

"I can't help you. I don't know anything."

"Well, until you do - until I do? - you can just keep on living." She turned to leave. "Because I'm not putting a stake through your heart until I get to the bottom of this. Until I know exactly what's going on."