Part 8

A/N: Again, I am SO sorry for not getting this out to you sooner. I think I'm going to wrap this up pretty soon. . . But not to worry! There will be a sequel (If you ask. . .) Plz review!

Andi

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"So, Rona wants chocolate, Kennedy and Molly want vanilla, Willow wants strawberry, Spike, sweetie, what flavor did Giles want?"

Buffy and Spike were at the grocery store to pick up ice-cream for a last minute 'Happy Day.'

Spike looked at her and smiled at the affectionate nick-name.

"Mint chocolate chip, love."

Buffy gathered the last ice-cream box from the freezer compartment and put it in the shopping cart.

"Next stop: Hostess!"

"I don't see HOW you lot can eat those horrible things. They taste like rubber!"

Buffy made a look of mock hurt and slapped Spike upside the head.

"Meanie. I'll have you know that Hostess is an essential part of a balanced diet." She said defiantly.

"And which diet is that, pet? The 'Ten Best Ways to Clog your Arteries'?"

Buffy humphed and strode off with her nose in the air.

"Oh, come on, love, you know I was just teasing. . ."

Buffy blatantly ignored him and kept walking.

"I'll let you have your wicked way with me. . ."

Buffy kept on walking and said, "What's new with that?"

"We can buy an extra bottle of chocolate sauce, just for us. . ."

Buffy spun around with a wicked grin on her face.

"You better make that two."

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"Giles, step away from the books. Buffy will be back any minute!"

Willow was desperately trying to get Giles to help her with the dishes from dinner, but to no avail.

"I'm sorry, Willow, I must keep working though! I think I've found a way to defeat the First, but I have to make sure. . ."

"You found a way to defeat the First?! Why didn't you tell me? I could've helped! 'Cuz, you know, that's me! Research girl Extraordinaire!"

Giles looked up at her with an unamused look.

"Oh, fine, I'll go finish the dishes. . ."

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Buffy and Spike came home to find Willow and Giles yelling at each other.

"No! I messed up, I know that! But it's my fault she's back, and DAMMIT, she's going back there someday!"

"Willow, I don't want this either, but it's the ONLY way! Don't you think I've looked?"

"Well LOOK HARDER!"

"Willow, you made a mistake, and these are just the consequences! I'm NOT saying it's all your fault! But these are just the things that must be done!"

"Giles, I-"

She was cut off abruptly by a wavering voice.

"Go back where? Where am I not going to go back to?"

Willow and Giles looked over to see an ashen faced Buffy standing in the doorway.

"TELL ME!"

Spike looked to be in a state of barely holding his rage. He wasn't letting out a word, but his face said that he knew quite clearly where Buffy wouldn't be going back to.

"Buffy, it seems that your being back has caused an imbalance, so to speak. I-I've looked for any other possible way, a-and I couldn't find any. . ."

"Get on with it, watcher." Spike seethed.

"It seems that we must forfeit the soul that belongs in heaven- the one that's with you now- to Hell, so that the balance can be restored and the First can be defeated. It cannot go back to Heaven, because a soul is only allowed in it once, since it shouldn't be taken out. If it goes to hell, it will be seen as if the soul never existed, and the world shall be righted again. Buffy, I'm so sorr-"

"Save it."

Buffy turned away with a stoic look on her face and walked quietly up to her room.

"I warned you, Red, magic ALWAYS has consequences."

Willow shrank away from the rage shown on his face as Spike turned and followed Buffy up the stairs.

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Spike found Buffy sitting on the bed and stairing out into the night through the large window.

"Love, I-"

"I want you to make a promise to me." Buffy cut him off with an eerily calm voice.

Spike looked at her with confusion and fear.

"Anything."

Buffy took his hand in hers as he sat down beside her, still looking out the picture window.

"I want you to promise me that you'll stake me once I lose my soul. I can't live-unlive on this earth knowing that I'm an evil creature, that I'd be going against my entire being. And liking it."

Tears that had formed on both of their faces now fell freely to the comforter.

"Promise me."

"I promise."

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A/N: Ok, more to come! Just a fair warning, this story will end with big tears, but the sequel (If you want it. . .) will have the happy ending I know you all crave. Until then, plz review!

Love you all,

Andi