AN: Yay! Format's finally working! I'll probably go back and fix those other chapters, eventually…..Anyhoo, enjoy this next one ( I know, it's a little slow…), be sure to R&R, and, um….yeah.

Disclaimer: I saw a lot of other people doing this…didn't want to get sued…so….All characters here (with the exception of a few; i.e. spirits) belong to UPN and Mutant Enemy and, of course, Joss. Also, I may (through no fault of my own) subconsciously use themes similar to other authors of b/s stories (due to lack of material/common thought processing).

            The Rain

            BRRRING

**"Don't worry love, I'll get that." Spike reached over her to pick up the phone.**

            BRRRING

            **"I thought you were going to get that…" Buffy pressed her forehead against his shoulder, sighing. He smiled a little, answering the call.**

BRRING

Buffy rolled over, confused. Wha…? Eventually, she realized the phone had not only been in her dream. She lifted the receiver off the hook.

"..Hello?"

"Buffy! Hi!"

"…Willow?"

"I'm sorry, hun. Did I wake you up?"

"No…" Bufy rubbed her eyes. 8:27. Hmm. "What's up?"

Buffy listed patiently as Willow described the previous night's events. What with the vampire slaying and all. The girl seemed to bubble over with sheer enthusiasm. Quite exhausting, really.

"And this one, he was all 'grr!' and we were all 'waaaah!' and then they were all 'poof!'."

"Hmmm." Buffy yawned slightly. Not that this wasn't interesting. "Yeah.  They do tend to 'poof'."

"..What's the matter, Buffy?"

"Oh, nothing." Buffy started to give her her Reassuring Smile, only to remember Willow couldn't see it. "I'm fine. All normal life-y and that."

"Do you miss it sometimes?"

"I suppose…." Buffy thought about it. Did miss the late night walks. Did miss the company. Did miss Sp-…..Well, didn't miss the whole she'd only live to 25 dealy. "To an extent."

"Yeah…"

They talked for probably another hour. Afterward, Buffy stumbled to the little kitchenette. On the counter was a note from Dawn.

            Buffy-

You were sleeping when I left for school, so just wrote you to remind you that I'll be staying late, and getting a ride home with Aaron.

                                    Dawn

Okay then. She didn't have work today. No Dawn.

She walked absent mindedly over to the incense holder, digging around in the jar of sticks until she found a cigarette. She lit it and set it in the holder, wondering what she should do with her day. 

"Maybe I'll go visit Giles at the shop." She told the cabinets as she went about preparing her breakfast.

            Don't you remember? He went out of town. Hmm. Her subconscious seemed to be right in that area. He'd gone to Cleveland after the request of the Council. …Or had it been Cincinnati? Chicago? Well, wherever he was it started with a C. Or possibly a K.

            "Kansas?" She contemplated, pausing in bringing her spoonful of cereal to her mouth. No matter. He'd be back eventually.

            BRRING

            She stopped chewing, glaring at the phone. Evil Phone.

            BRRING

            "Wuh yu gheh hah…" She swallowed, looking around her empty apartment before remembering she was the only one in it. Drat.

            BRRRING

            She stomped angrily over to the phone. "What?"

            No answer.

            "Hello??"

            "….Hi Buffy."

            "Andrew?!?"

            "Uhhh…yeah…."

            "What?" She frowned.

            "Ummm…I was sort of elected…to…umm…call you…."

            "By who, exactly?" Buffy had thought she'd gotten rid of him for good, what with sending him to England with a six-pack of Slayers.

            "Umm….the girls…"

            "Why?"

            "Well, I was trying to talk to Willow- 'cuz you know, she's all telepathic and stuff-and I sort of…"

            "Andrew. What did you do?"

            "I…I sort of summoned a Jaw Wheigh demon…"

            Oh lord. "Hold on. I'll be there. Just..." She ran a hand through her hair. "Keep it from killing anyone till I get there, alright?"

            "Umm, what if it already…"

            "I'm coming." She hung up quickly. Grabbed a bag. Threw in a couple changes of clothing, crossbow, stakes, crosses. Manila envelope from under her pillow. She scrawled out a message on a piece of paper, leaving it on the counter as she rushed out the door to the airport.

                        Dawn-

            Trouble in England. Call my cell phone when you get home, I'll explain. Stay home until I get back.

                                                Buffy.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

            It grew darker. The sky was now a deep shade of purple, dark clouds covering the moon. Thunder rolled in, slowly. Always slowly. It looked as if it there was a possibility of rain.

            Drip.

            Correction. It looked like it was going to rain.

            Drip drip drip.

            Oh bother. It was raining.

            Drip drip…drip drip drip drip drip…

            The rain pelted him. Covering his face with his hands, he peered up at the sky.

            Smack.

            "Bloody…." He flailed his arms about wildly as the hail hit him in the face. Soon, it was coming down in sheets. He ran for the trees.

            Great. Just sodding brilliant. He was lost, hungry, soaking wet and bloody freezing (and stark nude, he might add), in the middle of a thunderstorm.