Title: The shell without Humanity
Rating:PG-13
Disclaimer: Not smart enough, or enough money so it ain't mine. DAMN YOU WHEDON!
Summary: AU on Grave. During, not after so it's more original than most.

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They all sat there in bewilderment. Each staring at the Redhead. She hadn't looked any of them in the eye, keeping them intently on the floor. Out of all of them she could feel Buffy's eyes boring into her. The witch had used this to hurt her. Giles was the first to speak.

"Oh lord."

His was a weary whisper. This whole day had drained him, Willow trying to kill him, Spike returning with more power than ever, four days of issues, Xander being, well Xander. But it was this day that seemed to put a strain on him the most.

It began with a argument with Buffy, trying to convince her to avoid the newly and slightly ominous vampire. She didn't listen, of course, storming off to confront a very powerful demon that could potentially hurt her emotionally. During her absence the watcher paced the length of the shop, his agitation building with each moment. He nearly had a heart attack when a pillar of black flame appeared then receded, revealing Buffy. After nearly hugging or slapping the girl he inquired how it went. Apparently Spike had things to do he didn't want his slayer to see or interfere with. Very big bad things. But before he could get anymore out of her Xander and Willow walked in.

The watcher had almost said things couldn't get worse, something he should have learned by now never to say. Somehow he didn't things would be looking up. The happenings after just drained him further, and made him snap. Shaking his head out of the daze, something he kept seeing Buffy do, maybe it's contagious.

"How may I ask you know this?"

Her eyes flickered to his for a moment before returning to the table.

"Um, well, he kinda, um, told me."

They almost smiled at the sputtering Willow they all recognized. Buffy looked at her confused.

"Wait he told you? Spike?"

Anya ventured a question.

"Evil demony Spike or chain smoking Spike?"

The slight affection in her voice rubbed Xander the wrong way.

"There's a difference?"

Anya's eyes turned to him in annoyance. She didn't really have a lot of emotion for the vampire, but she sympathized with the orgasm giving demon and liked him better than this new dark magic one.

"Well considering one saved your useless, yet muscular butt, while the other obviously has intentions of sucking the world into a hell dimension. I'd say there's a difference."

Not really having a comeback for that he sighed and looked at everyone else he muttered.

"Guess we know where your loyalties lie."

That pissed her off causing her to stand up abruptly.

"Bite me Harris, I helped you when miss-Wicca here was out flaying evil dateless nerds..."

In automatic guard mode Xander shot up.

"Hey!"

She continued.

"...I don't need to risk my life you people. The only reason any of you let me hang out with you was because I was with Xander. You are not my friends. Everyone who has ever come close has either died or was sent to a hell dimension by you."

Her eyes went straight to the Witch who was already in the process of shrinking as small as her chair would allow. Returning her eyes to a slightly shocked Xander.

"So if you keep questioning my loyalty get out of my place of buisness."

She began to walk away before she turned to the shocked group.

"And she isn't crazy or lying, she does have his soul."

The vengeance demon then turned and walked straight toward the training room . Without looking at her Giles asked.

"How..."

Turning around she gripped the door.

"As Xander so gladly announced I'm a demon, I can see it."

With that she slammed the door shut. They could hear thumps and her grunts as she took out her anger on the equipment. Slumping into the chair Xander put his head in his hands, rubbing the weariness out of his face. Giles merely sighed.

"Congratulations Xander, you've managed to further enrage a thousand year old vengeance demon."

With that he put his glasses on the table and sat heavily in Anya's vacant chair. Xander didn't lift his head

"Thanks Giles I wasn't sure if everyone hadn't noticed the painfully obvious."

With that the room grew silent again. Only a whisper broke it.

"It was the soul."

That got Gile's attention.

"Pardon?"

Straightening in the chair she continued.

"The soul said it was inside me."

Giles milled this around in his head for a little while before asking.

"Did it say anything else, why the soul was in you?"

Willow seemed a bit nervous, she still couldn't believe he was still looking at her after she tried to kill him.

"Um, he said big things are going to happen and that if I didn't help then Buffy would die."

Giles suddenly was very rigid, and alarmed. Memories flashed of when she had heard about the master prophesy. Dawn paled and clutched at Buffy's hand. The slayer just looked dazed. Trying to get anything the watcher continued.

"He said Buffy would die if you didn't help?"

The witch was about to agree when she remembered his exact wording. Things often went wrong when people didn't say exactly what they heard.

"He didn't name Buffy specifically, H-he just said "she" would die. I assumed he was speaking about Buffy. Cause ya know, it's Spike, or soul Spike."

The watcher's mind concentrated on the words. He knew enough about ominous cryptic messages that it turned out as you least expected. He understood the assumtion, though he had to take into account that the soul is neither Spike nor his former human self. So that left Anya, Buffy, and Dawn. Or any other woman on the hellmouth.

"Well we can't really rule out any of you except Willow. But I do think that it's safe to assume that the big things Spike was speaking of will come from Spike. I mean, oh hell you know what I mean."

He turned to his slayer next who had been hoping that he had forgotten to ask her.

"Did you learn of anything important?"

Whenever she and Spike was used in the same subject she became nervous.

"Well, I got in there and he wasn't in the crypt, then I went below to check. He was there, On the wall was a huge mural demon thingy and on the floor too."

He took it all in, annoyed that it was vague. Thousands of spells use symbols and murals, the fact there were two divides them, but not nearly enough.

"Bodies!"

The exclamation startled everyone.

"There were bodies sitting against the wall. Few were human magicy types, the others were really ugly demony bodies. I think there were twelve."

Looking at her sister with pride written in her face, Buffy failed to notice the troubled look on the watchers face. That had struck something with him a memory of the past that seemed just out of his reach. Gile's first instinct was to consult the dark books, but before he could, his eyes caught the whites of Willows. She was wide eyed looking at the table, but he could tell she was lost in herself, thinking. The watcher was instantly concerned.

"Willow what's wrong?"

All attention was now on her now pale drawn face. The witch's looked at him and opened her mouth trying to speak but she couldn't force the sound out of her throat. That's when it struck Giles. She knows what Spike is going to do. And from the look on her face it was bad. Xander had gone to trying to calm her down along with Buffy.

Dawn not occupied turned to the Watcher for answers.

"Giles what's wrong with her? Why is she acting like this."

Giles focus was still on the shaking witch.

"She knows what he's going to do."

Dawn face was scrunched in confusion. But then it suddenly twisted into one of fear. Giles noticed she was looking at something behind him.

"Always knew she was the brains of the group."

Everyone whipped around at the sound of the familiar voice. Standing casually in the corner was the black haired, leather coat wearing subject of the conversation. They all were shocked for a moment. What he did next wasn't what anyone was expecting. He waved.

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A/N: I know my last chapter wasn't really up to par, if you don't like it don't read the damn chapter.

I've had a particular person review and he/she (don't know which) seemed to be confused. If there was any pairing in this story it would be B/S friendly, so looking for anything else is futile.

I do appreciate those who had something real to say and I sincerely thank you. :)

Thank you for the wonderful reviews, please continue with the praise/criticism