A/N: Thanks for the reviews people! Keep them coming, please! Any
comments or constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated. This story
will become VERY Spuffy. ;)
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Reality Check Part 1
Ever since his last dream, Spike had been feeling unbearably weak. He could barely walk around, let alone fight evil. Buffy had been tending to him for the last hour or so. They hadn't said much to each other. Silence was all they needed, and yet Buffy knew that she'd eventually have to press him for information from the nightmare.
"Spike?" Buffy whispered softly, and at seeing his eyes perk at her voice, she continued. "Spike, I know you're not in the mood for this, but you really need to tell me what happened in that dream. We don't know how much time we have until the First makes its appearance again."
Spike opened his eyes and looked at her softly. His heart was literally pained by the beauty she held. Not just physically, it was more than that. It was her heart. He could sense it: smell it, feel it, see it, hear it, and God how he wanted to taste it.
But her voice brought him to life, and he knew it was time to talk about his most recent encounter with the First.
"Okay, love," he whispered. "I'll talk."
Buffy smiled at him lovingly. He was trying to be strong for her. She had to admit, it was adorable. "Great, okay. Umm, let's start with where you were. What was the setting? Who was there? Any details you can remember will be much appreciated by Will when she hits the black art books, too," Buffy added, feeling as though with a pad and pen, she'd make the perfect journalist.
Spike took a moment to rack his memory of all the events from the dream. It shouldn't have been hard; he'd been reliving it constantly for the past hour. But dreams have always been tricky that way. The more you force yourself to try to remember, the less you actually can.
"Well, it was in an old theatre. We. Lacey and I. had been watching 'Romeo and Juliet', some performance I guess I'd slept through. Huh, lemme think. For a moment, I was William and Laney was Laney. Just for a moment. As soon as I remembered what was going on, that I was actually Spike, she. Laney. died. Again. I watched her go cold again." Spike's eyes almost watered at the thought of her limp, dead body, but he swallowed his emotion. "Then a duplicate of her came down the isle, told me love was my plague," Spike said, not meeting Buffy's eyes for the last part. "She, I mean It, showed me how I bring 'unbearable pain' to everyone love and have ever loved. The First became everyone I've ever loved." Spike forced himself to look into Buffy's eyes. "It became you."
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Willow was driving insanely over the speed limit as she, Xander, and Wood were on their way to Buffy's house. Wood was in the back, his hands bound together with leather (which Xander had conveniently provided), and his face covered in bruises. Willow had been able to beat the truth out of Wood, who, after a couple of blows to the head and seeing Will go all black- eyed again, gave in. He told them everything he knew. Will had never once gotten a speeding ticket; well, for that matter, she'd never exceeded the speed limit. But from what Wood had told them, this was one time she was willing to break the rules. The car skidded into the driveway, and Will, Xander, and Wood hopped out quickly, making their way to the Summers' front door. Will opened the door and without wasting a second started talking.
"Buffy, Spike! Change of plans. The First found out that Wood. I mean, Wood found out that the First. Actually this has nothing to do with the First. Well, maybe it does but." Willow realized she was babbling, an often side effect of her panic. "I'll cut to the chase. Spike, unless we can figure out what the heck is going on here, you have about five hours before you poof into little dusties," Willow managed through gasps over tired breath. But as she finally took a moment to breathe, she realized neither Spike nor Buffy had heard a word of what she'd said.
They were too busy with themselves, lying on the living room couch, lost in mid-kiss. a kiss that didn't look like one they were planning to end anytime soon.
**************************************************
Reality Check Part 1
Ever since his last dream, Spike had been feeling unbearably weak. He could barely walk around, let alone fight evil. Buffy had been tending to him for the last hour or so. They hadn't said much to each other. Silence was all they needed, and yet Buffy knew that she'd eventually have to press him for information from the nightmare.
"Spike?" Buffy whispered softly, and at seeing his eyes perk at her voice, she continued. "Spike, I know you're not in the mood for this, but you really need to tell me what happened in that dream. We don't know how much time we have until the First makes its appearance again."
Spike opened his eyes and looked at her softly. His heart was literally pained by the beauty she held. Not just physically, it was more than that. It was her heart. He could sense it: smell it, feel it, see it, hear it, and God how he wanted to taste it.
But her voice brought him to life, and he knew it was time to talk about his most recent encounter with the First.
"Okay, love," he whispered. "I'll talk."
Buffy smiled at him lovingly. He was trying to be strong for her. She had to admit, it was adorable. "Great, okay. Umm, let's start with where you were. What was the setting? Who was there? Any details you can remember will be much appreciated by Will when she hits the black art books, too," Buffy added, feeling as though with a pad and pen, she'd make the perfect journalist.
Spike took a moment to rack his memory of all the events from the dream. It shouldn't have been hard; he'd been reliving it constantly for the past hour. But dreams have always been tricky that way. The more you force yourself to try to remember, the less you actually can.
"Well, it was in an old theatre. We. Lacey and I. had been watching 'Romeo and Juliet', some performance I guess I'd slept through. Huh, lemme think. For a moment, I was William and Laney was Laney. Just for a moment. As soon as I remembered what was going on, that I was actually Spike, she. Laney. died. Again. I watched her go cold again." Spike's eyes almost watered at the thought of her limp, dead body, but he swallowed his emotion. "Then a duplicate of her came down the isle, told me love was my plague," Spike said, not meeting Buffy's eyes for the last part. "She, I mean It, showed me how I bring 'unbearable pain' to everyone love and have ever loved. The First became everyone I've ever loved." Spike forced himself to look into Buffy's eyes. "It became you."
*******************************
Willow was driving insanely over the speed limit as she, Xander, and Wood were on their way to Buffy's house. Wood was in the back, his hands bound together with leather (which Xander had conveniently provided), and his face covered in bruises. Willow had been able to beat the truth out of Wood, who, after a couple of blows to the head and seeing Will go all black- eyed again, gave in. He told them everything he knew. Will had never once gotten a speeding ticket; well, for that matter, she'd never exceeded the speed limit. But from what Wood had told them, this was one time she was willing to break the rules. The car skidded into the driveway, and Will, Xander, and Wood hopped out quickly, making their way to the Summers' front door. Will opened the door and without wasting a second started talking.
"Buffy, Spike! Change of plans. The First found out that Wood. I mean, Wood found out that the First. Actually this has nothing to do with the First. Well, maybe it does but." Willow realized she was babbling, an often side effect of her panic. "I'll cut to the chase. Spike, unless we can figure out what the heck is going on here, you have about five hours before you poof into little dusties," Willow managed through gasps over tired breath. But as she finally took a moment to breathe, she realized neither Spike nor Buffy had heard a word of what she'd said.
They were too busy with themselves, lying on the living room couch, lost in mid-kiss. a kiss that didn't look like one they were planning to end anytime soon.