Spike continued to kiss Buffy, the kiss intensifying by the second. He
wanted to get lost in her depths, like she had gotten lost in him not but a
year ago. But times had changed, and Buffy pulled away slowly, almost
regretful in her actions. She averted her eyes from meeting Spike's.
"I'm sorry," Spike whispered to her, and the silence that followed was awkward and long. This obviously wasn't something either of them were ready to deal with at the moment.
"I'm not," Spike heard Buffy eventually whisper in response. He wasn't sure if the comment was meant for him or for herself, but she changed the subject quickly. "So, about this Laney issue. Willow and the gang are doing the research thing. They promised to help in any way they can. They think this whole thing may be related to the First. Will's calling Angel for more info, and I thought--
Spike put two fingers to her lips gently, to stop her babbling. "Thanks, love. I mean it." He gave her a slight smile, which she returned.
"So, do you remember anything else about Laney? About what happened to her? Or why she's haunting you?"
"No, and that's just the thing! I don't remember a bloody bit about her! When she's in my dreams it's as if I know her. We have this connection; there are memories and emotions. and love. But when I wake up, I can't remember a sodding thing about her, except for what happens in the dream. Only what happens in the dream. Only that she always dies; I always kill her," Spike said, his voice saddened and frustrated.
Buffy sighed. "There must be something else, some sort of. key element that we're missing. Next time you fall asleep, try to remember the details of what happens. Look at the color of the ground, the jewelry Laney wears, distinguishing features, any signs to let us know more information."
"I'll try, pet. But I can't make any promises. If you could see what she looks like. her corpse. I've never seen anything--" Spike looked away from Buffy, ashamed by his weakness. "It's hard to remember anything else."
***
"Guys, I think we have a lead," Willow announced as she entered the library, rejoining the gang. "Angel said that Buffy was once in his dreams- -"
"Please stop, I don't even want to imagine the dreams he's had about her," Xander interrupted, wrinkling his face.
"Not like that, Xander! I mean she was actually in one of his dreams. Somehow she was able to get into his dreams, instead of her own," Willow said, not sure everyone was following.
"Unless someone forced her to be there!" Dawn piped in.
"Exactly! If I could just find a spell to do something similar to that, Buffy could see if the First is involved in Spike's nightmares," Willow concluded.
"But wouldn't Spike be able to tell if the First was in his dreams?" Dawn asked, a little confused, as usual.
"Well, according to Angel, the First practically drove him insane. He couldn't tell what was reality from what wasn't. If that's the case, then Spike wouldn't be able to tell if he's seeing the First, or if he's seeing Laney."
"That's just great. So you're telling me Spike's been conversing with the First for the last couple nights and doesn't even know it? He could be giving away all our information!" Xander ranted, still irritated that they'd decided to help his least favorite vampire.
"If we even had any information," Willow said, more to herself than anyone else.
"It's not his fault!" Dawn added defensively.
Wood just sat back and watched the three of them banter back and forth, with an evil smile slowly forming on his face. He'd been doing some research too, and he'd found something that was crucial to their investigation, something that could mean life or death for Spike. The only problem was he wasn't quite sure he was willing to share the information that would help the bloodsucking fiend who'd killed his mother. The tables were finally turning and Wood at last had the upper hand on the scoobies. He envisioned the image of Spike killing his mother and in return thought just one word: Checkmate.
"I'm sorry," Spike whispered to her, and the silence that followed was awkward and long. This obviously wasn't something either of them were ready to deal with at the moment.
"I'm not," Spike heard Buffy eventually whisper in response. He wasn't sure if the comment was meant for him or for herself, but she changed the subject quickly. "So, about this Laney issue. Willow and the gang are doing the research thing. They promised to help in any way they can. They think this whole thing may be related to the First. Will's calling Angel for more info, and I thought--
Spike put two fingers to her lips gently, to stop her babbling. "Thanks, love. I mean it." He gave her a slight smile, which she returned.
"So, do you remember anything else about Laney? About what happened to her? Or why she's haunting you?"
"No, and that's just the thing! I don't remember a bloody bit about her! When she's in my dreams it's as if I know her. We have this connection; there are memories and emotions. and love. But when I wake up, I can't remember a sodding thing about her, except for what happens in the dream. Only what happens in the dream. Only that she always dies; I always kill her," Spike said, his voice saddened and frustrated.
Buffy sighed. "There must be something else, some sort of. key element that we're missing. Next time you fall asleep, try to remember the details of what happens. Look at the color of the ground, the jewelry Laney wears, distinguishing features, any signs to let us know more information."
"I'll try, pet. But I can't make any promises. If you could see what she looks like. her corpse. I've never seen anything--" Spike looked away from Buffy, ashamed by his weakness. "It's hard to remember anything else."
***
"Guys, I think we have a lead," Willow announced as she entered the library, rejoining the gang. "Angel said that Buffy was once in his dreams- -"
"Please stop, I don't even want to imagine the dreams he's had about her," Xander interrupted, wrinkling his face.
"Not like that, Xander! I mean she was actually in one of his dreams. Somehow she was able to get into his dreams, instead of her own," Willow said, not sure everyone was following.
"Unless someone forced her to be there!" Dawn piped in.
"Exactly! If I could just find a spell to do something similar to that, Buffy could see if the First is involved in Spike's nightmares," Willow concluded.
"But wouldn't Spike be able to tell if the First was in his dreams?" Dawn asked, a little confused, as usual.
"Well, according to Angel, the First practically drove him insane. He couldn't tell what was reality from what wasn't. If that's the case, then Spike wouldn't be able to tell if he's seeing the First, or if he's seeing Laney."
"That's just great. So you're telling me Spike's been conversing with the First for the last couple nights and doesn't even know it? He could be giving away all our information!" Xander ranted, still irritated that they'd decided to help his least favorite vampire.
"If we even had any information," Willow said, more to herself than anyone else.
"It's not his fault!" Dawn added defensively.
Wood just sat back and watched the three of them banter back and forth, with an evil smile slowly forming on his face. He'd been doing some research too, and he'd found something that was crucial to their investigation, something that could mean life or death for Spike. The only problem was he wasn't quite sure he was willing to share the information that would help the bloodsucking fiend who'd killed his mother. The tables were finally turning and Wood at last had the upper hand on the scoobies. He envisioned the image of Spike killing his mother and in return thought just one word: Checkmate.