Chapter 1 Buffy was preoccupied all the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that, till a week had passed by. Willow, being Buffy's best friend, had been slightly concerned at first, but when Buffy repeatedly said that she was fine, but then didn't seem to get any better, Willow became exceedingly upset. Giles kept telling Willow that Buffy was probably just thinking about something and not to worry, but she couldn't help it. By the time a week and a day had passed by Willow was ready to scream. So she decided to confront Buffy, and determined the best way to do that was intercept Buffy on her way home from patrol.

It was extremely dark that June night, but warm, after all they did live in Southern California. Willow was wearing a loose green skirt that trailed down around her ankles and a cream colored blouse. Her shoulder length red hair blew slightly in the wind and Willow brushed a stray strand back from her face impatiently. She had been waiting there under the tree in front of Buffy's yard for the good part of an hour. Just as Willow was about to give up and head home to try again tomorrow she heard an all too familiar voice arguing with a voice laden with a rough British accent.

Soon enough Buffy and Spike came strolling around the street corner to Buffy's house. Willow shook her head and smiled at the sight. Earlier that year Spike had come back to Sunnydale looking for revenge on the Slayer. Unfortunately for him, at that time the Initiative, an undercover government operation that apprehended demons, had been in the works in Sunnydale as well. He had been captured and " neutered", or as Spike would say, "Spike took a little trip to the vet and now he doesn't chase the other puppies any more." The Initiative had planted a chip in his head that kept him from being able to hurt any human being. However he could hurt demons, and so Spike had joined Buffy and the Slayerettes in the battle against evil.

"Spike, I'm tired and cranky, you really don't want to provoke me at the moment." Buffy half said-half moaned as she ran a hand through her long golden hair.

"Oh, what are you gonna? Stake me? Like bloody hell you will! " Spike replied.

"Don't give me an invitation," Buffy said taking her eyes off the road to look at the blond vamp. "I just might do it this time."

Spike laughed and began to walk away. "Night luv," he said, "Evening Red." he added acknowledging that she was waiting beneath the trees. Then he vanished into the dark without a trace. It had always bothered Willow, but for now her attention was focused on Buffy.

"Hey Will," Buffy said. "What's up?"

Following Buffy up the stairs to the front door of her house Willow replied, "I came to talk to you about what's been up with you actually."

"Oh, me. Yeah. Not much really. Slaying, eating, sleeping. Nothing spectacular." "

"But you' ve been all no-talk Buffy. You barely said three words to me all week, and a day."

Buffy laughed. "You been counting?" Willow nodded, a look of concern on her face.

"Fine," Buffy replied to the look. "Come in, and we' ll talk."

Ten minutes later Buffy and Willow were safely tucked upstairs in Buffy's room with some Chips Ahoy cookies and glasses pf Dr. Pepper.

"So," Willow prompted.

"Well, a week ago, and a day, I had this really weird dream." Buffy said.

"Oh, dreams are good. What was it about?" Willow replied.

"Well at first I couldn't remembered what happened, but I have it again each night and it gets a little more clearer every time."

Willow nodded for Buffy to continue.

"I'm in a semi-dark room and on the ground a few feet away is a woman and she's crying, weeping. On the ground next to her is a girl, very beautiful, but she's dead."

"What did the girl look like, maybe it's a prophecy? Willow asked.

"The girl has long red hair, well it's more a blonde red; but anyway, her eyes are open and they're a deep swirl of blue and green, almost as if they can't decide which color to be. She's wearing a leather duster, like the one Spike wears, and under it she has on a white t-shirt and dark jeans. I don't recognize her at all. How about you Will?"

"No I've never met or seen for that matter anyone who looks likes that. Is there anything more to the dream?"

"Yeah the woman who was crying begins to talk she says 'You have to change it, you must'. Then she turns to look at me and her face is filled with all these emotions, she says 'It cannot end like this', then her face drains and all that's left are her eyes, but the thing is they're my eyes looking back at me, then she says 'You hold the power to change what will be. You must make a choice and do what I could not. Be strong and do not loose hope. Your time will come.' Then I wake up." "Wow, that's some dream."

"Oh, and sometimes I walk around the room I'm in and it's a crypt, a vampire's crypt. There is a small TV and an old rerun of "Passions" is playing. Oh, and there are ashes about fifteen feet away from where the girl is laying."

"Ashes, like vampire ashes?"

"Yeah,"

"So do you think a vampire killed the girl?"

"No," Buffy said thinking. "There are absolutely no marks on her body, not even any blood. She died, but not from natural means."

"Well this is the hell-mouth," Willow said and smiled at Buffy's usual eye roll. "So has the dream been bothering you?"

"I guess so, I just can't get it figured out. The woman's words are always echoing in my mind, 'Your time will come'. Its unnerving."

"Hmm, you should tell Giles about it. Maybe he could make some sense of what it means."

"If it means anything." Buffy said.

Willow shook her head and smiled again. "Of course it does. The Slayer would never have a dream that involved and have it not mean something."

"Well" Buffy replied with a mischievous smile, "There was that dream I had when Angel was still hear about how we got married and had kids. That was a pretty involved dream."

It was Willow's turn to roll her eyes. "I remember that dream," she replied, "But I'm serious about telling Giles."

"I know," Buffy said. "We'll go see him at the Magic Box tomorrow."

"Alright, goodnight then," Willow said pushing one last cookie into her mouth as she headed out the door and down the stairs.

"See you tomorrow," Buffy called softly as Willow went out the door.