A/N: I think I misled some people when I said that this fic is almost over...I meant comparatively. There's gonna be no more pointless demons or any (real) resolution until the end.

Just think of this as my fic's February sweeps ;-)

~

Back in the library, the group sat in silence, pondering their individual thoughts, when Xander finally spoke again.

"So, yeah...Spike, if that's even his name, also wanted me to find out some information about "The Choosers."" He explained sourly, making air quotes. "Whoever they are."

Dawn snapped her head up at that, but remained silent. Now is definitely not that time to drop that bombshell, Summers.

"The Choosers? Funny, he asked me to get a spell for him months ago. I had hoped he would forget about it...The Choosers aren't always the most, er, amenable bunch." Giles replied, cleaning his glasses.

"So we are saying 'No' to finding out any information about The Choosers." Willow declared, her resolve face on.

"Maybe we should, though. Go see them, I mean." Xander mused aloud, hoisting himself up next to Jesse.

"Um, are you nuts?" Jesse asked incredulously, "It's probably just a trap."

"Yeah. A trap." Dawn agreed eagerly.

"But he wanted me to ask about * him. * Not about Buffy, about him, which means that there's probably some information there!" Xander said excitedly, the makings of a plan brewing inside his usually dormant mind. "I'll go, he told me to."

"Xander!" Willow eeped, "This isn't the time to follow the potentially evil vampire's orders!"

"Potentially? Do you not see the huge gash on my head?" Cordelia replied, annoyed.

"Okay, so the less-than-potentially evil vampire. Even worse!" Willow pointed out.

"C'mon, guys!" Xander whined, "What's the worse that could happen?"

"Um, you could *die.*" Cordelia said slowly, hoping to penetrate into Xander's thick skull. However, he ignored that and rushed over to Giles.

"Ya gotta back me here, G-man. It could give us some serious insight."

"I could always just consult my books..." Giles lamely argued.

"But I could get real live information, not something outta a dusty book that hasn't been updated since, like, the 9th century."

Giles sighed, vigorously rubbing his glasses. Xander cleared his throat.

"And, really, Giles? Going might mean risking my life, but not going might mean risking * all * our lives." Cordelia snorted.

"Corny much?"

"It's the truth, though." Xander said softly, moving away from Giles, waiting to hear his reply. Giles groaned.

"I may regret this..." Xander visibly perked.

"Seriously? I get to go?" Giles nodded gravely. Xander hopped down and burst into the Mission: Impossible theme, dancing around the room.

"Does he always act like this?" Cordelia asked Dawn.

"Well, he's never gotten a chance to do something so integral. So, naturally, he's excited." Dawn explained, trying to ignore the dread that was pinching at her skin.

"I'm kinda curious to what he's gonna find out, though. Aren't you?" Cordelia asked.

Dawn gulped and nodded.

She was not liking the way this was turning out.

~

"Ow! Buffy! Leggo of my arm!" Spike howled as the slayer threw him down onto her bed.

"Explain everything." She said in an icy voice.

"Is this one of those hormonal things?" Spike asked, only half-serious, "Cuz I haven't the bloodiest clue what you're talking about, pet."

Buffy grit her teeth and narrowed her eyes.

"Why are there two Spikes?"

"I beg your pardon?" Spike replied, truly befuddled by Buffy's confusing line of questioning, "Pet, there's only one of me here..."

"I know that!" Buffy snapped, "But there's another one, wandering about, talking like you...only evil."

Spike drew his eyebrows in.

"Huh?"

~

Giles pulled out The Book from inside of his desk and slammed it down.

"I wrote the spell inside the margins." Giles explained as he flipped the pages in search of The Chooser's page. Xander nodded and looked over Giles' shoulder, when he found it. Xander studied the picture.

"Freaky lookin' dudes." He remarked. "They look...nice, though."

"Nice? Far from it." Giles replied with a shudder, "Though I suppose some of them are good. Such as the Keeper of the Earthly Secrets. According to my research, he is fairly trustworthy. Temperamental, yes, but trustworthy."

"Speakin' Greek, my man." Giles looked up sheepishly.

"Sorry."

"No problemo. Let's just get this party started, alright?" Giles nodded.

"All you must do is read this spell and then hope for the best."

Xander looked down at Giles' nearly illegible chicken scratch.

"If you say so."

He read.

"O Great Choosers of Destiny

Bring Me Forth To Thine Wonder

I Request A Gathering"

"WHOA!!" Xander was pulled through a hollow tunnel, pressure pounding on his bones. After what seemed like an eternity, he crashed down onto a hard floor.

He gasped when he looked up.

Eight towering men stood above him, adorned in large black capes, standing upon cliffs, with staffs between crevices.

"Whoa." Xander reiterated. The tallest Chooser glared down at him, in his usual way.

"You are treading on dangerous ground, Human."

"Umm..." Xander started, but couldn't find the right words.

"You have no comprehension of what you are dealing with, the forces that are in place."

"I just want to know what's going on with Spike." If Xander hadn't known better, he would have said a small smile played upon the lips of the Chooser.

"It is the first piece of the puzzle. And congratulations, Human. You are the second."

~

"Two Spikes. One of them is you, obviously, and I want to know who the other one is. You're gonna tell me. And don't you dare try to bullshit your way out of this, Spike cuz I swear to God-"

"Buffy!" Spike yelled, trying to get her attention, "I promise, luv, I'm just as clueless as you are!"

"Yeah, well, this sort of thing doesn't just * happen, * Spike! There has to be a reason. And please, * please * if you have any little, possible idea as to what might have caused this, you have to tell me." Buffy kneeled next to Spike, her eyes wide and vulnerable. Spike's eyes glazed over and he blinked, a pained expression coming over his face.

"No, pet." Spike whispered, not meeting her gaze, "I have no idea what would cause this." Buffy nodded and stood up, steely resolve within her eyes.

"You better be telling me the truth, or so help you." She replied softly, moving out of her room. Spike, recognizing the dangerous undertones in her voice, sprang to his feet.

"Buffy! Wait!" Buffy stopped and turned around. "There...There might be something that could have caused it." Buffy sighed and walked back into the room and folded her arms. Spike looked at her with mournful eyes and shook his head.

"You might wanna sit down for this one, pet."

~

"Hold up." Xander said, raising his hand, "I never signed up for * that * gig, alright?"

"It is not your choice."

"Okay, well, let's just say that, for pretend," Xander offered, still shaky, "I agree to be the second 'puzzle piece.' What exactly would that entail?"

"I am the Keeper of the Earthly Secrets. It is not my place to reveal all outcomes of time and dreams." The Chooser said gravely.

"O-kaay. Whatever. Is it dangerous?" Xander gulped, "Would it hurt?" The Keeper of the Earthly Secrets looked up to the sky.

"You will be sent on a quest under false pretences. There, you will undergo pain, more pain than you could ever possibly imagine."

"Not likin' this..." Xander muttered.

"But time will be an ally. The vampire, Spike. One of them will be an ally, though you will not be aware of it. The other will meet you on the quest. The Slayer will meet you on the quest. The Witch will meet you on the quest. The Key will meet you on the quest. The Watcher will meet you on the quest. The Power will meet you on the quest. The Truth will meet you on the quest."

"Okay, so not followin' ya. " Xander said, shaking his head resignedly. The Chooser continued.

"Some will be allies, others will not be. Understand that it is against their will. They are not your friends, but rather the Fighters."

"The who?" Xander asked. The Keeper of the Earthly Secrets ignored him once again.

"You must keep the vampires alive." The Chooser hissed, "No matter what anyone else tells you. That is of dire importance."

"Aren't they dead, though?" Xander asked.

"Do not contradict me, Human." The Keeper of the Earthly Secrets said in a dark tone, "Do as I say."

"But they are dead, right?"

"Yes!" The Chooser snapped, "But you must keep them in the current state they are in. * Both * of them. Not just the obvious choice. This may place you in an unsatisfactory position with the Slayer. You must not give in. It could upset the fabric of time."

"Look, I don't mean to repeat myself, but HOLD UP!!!!" Xander screamed, "What do you mean "one of them" or, or "both of them!" Since when are there two Spikes?"

"That is all, Human."

With that, Xander blinked and found himself back in the library.

~

Buffy sat on her bed, next to Spike, not saying a word.

She couldn't move.

She couldn't more, she couldn't think, she couldn't breathe...she felt like the floor had been taken out from underneath her and replaced by the physical form of surreality.

Buffy closed her eyes and felt a flash...

| Spike stood before her, eyes yellow, face contorted. She reached for her stake, ready to kill him.

"So, I guess this is it, eh?" He said, his voice low.

"Looks like." Buffy's heart pounded in her chest. She didn't want to do this. It was Spike. Her Spike. No! Bad Buffy! Not "your" Spike. He's evil. Bad and evil. Spike who tried to rape you, ring a bell? She clutched the weapon. Then, he lunged at her. |

Buffy snapped her eyes open and brought her green eyes to Spike's blue ones...which were currently pleading silently.

"Say something." He whispered.

"You lied to me." She replied, voice matching his.

"Only cuz I had to-" Buffy cut him off by raising her hand, signaling that she wasn't finished.

"I'm not finished. You. Lied. To. Me." Buffy stood up and began frantically pacing around the room, blood vessels pounding aimlessly through her brain, "You lied to me not once, not twice, b-but so many times that there's no way I could ever rack my brain and figure it out!"

"Buffy, please-"

"No! You do not get to talk." Buffy hissed violently, "You're a liar. And you said you loved me and God, I fucking believed it..."

"I wasn't lying about that, pet!" Spike grabbed her arm, but Buffy brushed him off forcefully.

"Get out." She whispered.

"Buffy..."Spike pleaded.

"I said * get * * out. *" Buffy's eyes rimmed with tears, as Spike sullenly stood up and stopped at the door.

"Buffy...before I go."

"What? What do you want?" Buffy said, the hurt in her voice cracking through painfully as she cried out. Spike closed his eyes, willing the tears building up in his eyes to go away.

"Buffy, ya know that sister I mentioned? Your li'l sis?"

"Yeah..." Spike clenched his jaw and swallowed.

"It's Dawn."

With that, Spike walked out of the room.

~

tbc...