DISCLAIMER: I own nothing in this fic except the plot. The characters and such belong to Joss Whedon (aka God), so if you've got a problem, take it up with him, okay?
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Buffy/Spike fanfic set after 'Chosen'. After defeating the First, Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang are Cleveland-bound and ready to start a new chapter in their lives, and they're not the only ones…
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks again for all the reviews! I'm so happy people are enjoying it! I got the idea for this chapter (the fan club part) from me and my Buffy-obsessed friends. It's not exactly what you think, though. Just read it, and review, of course.
CHAPTER THREE: The Scooby Fan Club
"Shanshu? Yes, I've heard of the prophecy, but I believed it to be pure myth," Giles said as they sped over the border of Utah. They had been on the road for almost two days now, stopping to sleep in hotels every now and again.
"Angel said he assumed they were talking about him in the prophecy," Buffy told him. Giles nodded. "Well, he is the only ensouled vampire… oh…" Giles began, but trailed off when he realized what everyone else already had.
"Do you think it's possible?" Dawn asked. "I mean, Spike and human used in the same sentence is a little creepy." Buffy shrugged. "I doubt he's alive. That amulet thing probably dusted him like it did the rest of those Ubers," Xander said matter-of-factly. "And plus, if he became human, he'd be buried under all that rubble and probably die of dust intake or suffocation. Or both," Andrew added. Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again. She suddenly had a sinking feeling in her gut. Willow, seeing Buffy's near distressed face, turned to Andrew. "I know you're new at this but we all kinda like to look on the bright side of things because hey, the life of a Scooby is not a bright one," she said. Andrew made an O with his mouth and decided he should shut up for right now. "So none of you are pessimists?" Kennedy asked, a little quieter than she had intended. She felt a little out of place, talking to the gang and all. She hadn't known them that long.
"Anya was a pessimist, and so was Spike. And Cordelia too. But the rest of us? We're optimists," Xander said. "Life is one big happy bubble of fun for us." Willow turned to Xander. "Happy bubble?" she questioned. He shrugged. "Well, whatever happy we are, it's circley shaped."
"I think it's best we try not to think of what could be and focus on what is. Now, Buffy, you said you wanted me to do some research on that amulet he was wearing?" Giles asked. Buffy nodded. "Just in case."
"I'll need a proper description, of course," Giles told her as he stopped by a little burger hut in the middle of nowhere. "Ooh! I can draw it on my whiteboard!" Andrew exclaimed. He received a few skeptical looks from the gang and added, "Or not."
"It's time to eat, finally," Dawn grumbled when they came to a full stop. "Ooh, Beaver's Burgers. Sounds… chompy," Willow said, looking up at the sign that looked as if it was practically falling off the roof of the small restaurant. "I think Beaver is the name of the town we're in, Will," Xander said, then he stopped himself for a second, furrowing his brows in thought. "Who names their town Beaver?"
**********
"So, how are you, Angel?" Spike said, walking ever so slowly up to his grandsire. "And Cordelia, too. Lilah here says she's in a little bit of a coma at the moment." He gave Angel a cocky grin, and watched as contempt spread over his face. "Spike, what're you… is that my amulet?" he asked, motioning to the amulet Spike still wore around his neck. Spike looked down. "No, sorry mate. This amulet's meant for a champion, remember?" he said. Angel snarled and vamped out, grabbing Spike by the collar of his shirt. Seeing Angel in his vampire visage, Spike tried to do the same, and couldn't. 'Oh, yeah, human,' he thought. He was a good five inches off the ground by the time Angel stopped lifting him. "Give it over," Angel demanded as he made an attempt to grab it from his neck. "Angel, I wouldn't do that," Lilah said. The second Angel got his hands on it, his flesh began to burn, making a small sizzling sound. Angel cried out and withdrew his hand, clutching it and trying to blow away the steam. "I tried to warn him," Lilah muttered. "Nobody listens to me." Angel glared at Spike. "What the hell was that!?" he yelled. Lilah stepped forward and opened her mouth to explain. "The amulet is only supposed to be touched by the person it belongs with. Sorry, Angel. The only reason you were able to touch it before was because it hadn't found its… proper owner yet."
Angel grumbled something Spike would usually be able to hear, but with his not being a vampire and all, he really couldn't decipher it. "Yeah, hurts to know you're not the champion you thought, don't it?" Spike mocked. Angel felt his blood boil at his grandchilde's words, and lunged at Spike. They began exchanging punches and kicks, which Spike met and countered just as easily. He was surprised at his own strength, he had thought being human made him well… human. Angel attempted to elbow Spike in the chest, but, moving considerably quickly, Spike dodged it kneed him in the stomach. Angel swore at the pain in his side and moved away from Spike, who was looking at his hands in utter surprise. He looked up at Lilah. "Did I… regain my vampire strength?" he asked uncertainly. "Or does this soddin' trinket power me up or whatall?" Lilah smirked. "Something like that." Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Lorne and Fred were looking very confused at that moment, and Lilah decided they had waited for an explanation long enough.
She left the room and returned holding a mirror. "Here," she said, handing it to Angel. He looked into it and saw the reflection of the ceiling above him, but as expected, not himself. "What's this for?" he asked. "Point it at Spike." Angel raised his eyebrow, but complied. He almost dropped the mirror when he saw it… saw his reflection. Spike's reflection. Wesley peered over Angel's shoulder and muttered, "Oh dear."
**********
"I think that beaver log combo was made of real wood," Xander said as the bus rumbled over a rocky part of the road. He was clutching his stomach and attempting not to vomit. Willow and Buffy sent him sympathetic looks. "At least you didn't order the beaver tail fish sticks," Dawn said, looking equally as green as Xander. "I'll try and learn not to go to restaurants with a B grade in the future," Giles said, not feeling too well himself. "I think I may need some assistance in… driving." Buffy raised her head. "I'll drive," she volunteered. Everyone but Andrew and Kennedy took over a horrified look, and Willow elbowed Buffy lightly. "Ha, you're such a joker Buffy," she said. Buffy pouted and blew her hair out of her face, but said nothing. "Actually, I'm feeling quite all right," Giles said suddenly, securing his hands on the wheel and sitting up a little straighter.
"That's our Buffster, always makin' with the funny," Xander mumbled, trying to grin and failing miserably. "Hey Giles, when we get to Richfield do ya think we could… you know, rest?" Kennedy asked. Willow looked at Kennedy. "A newly called Slayer, rest? Ha!" she said. "Who said anything about us resting?" Kennedy smiled and winked at her, and Willow blushed.
"That's the plan, yes," Giles answered Kennedy's earlier question, ignoring the sexual remark his ears hadn't wanted to hear. Suddenly, an alarmingly loud snorting sound echoed in the bus, and Giles slammed on the brakes and whipped around. "What happened, is everyone… alright…" he began, then noticed Andrew, who was sprawled across one of the seats. "This just in everyone, Andrew snores," Xander said. Buffy rolled her eyes. "We really should interview people before having them join the gang," she muttered.
**********
The bus stopped in front of a very crappy, broken down motel that looked like it had been pulled right out of a horror film.
"Check out the poltergeist motel," Xander said. "It's all very chilling." Sighing, Giles polished his glasses and squinted at the place they would be staying. "It's the only place for miles, so don't complain. Unless you'd prefer sleeping on the bus," he said. Xander didn't reply, but began walking towards the motel. "Moonlight Motel. Catchy," Kennedy said as she read the semi-medium neon sign atop the building that was flickering on and off. "As long as they don't have any beavers," Dawn muttered, pushing past her and joining Xander.
After they had paid for their rooms, which just so happened to be next to each other in case of an emergency, which, when you were the Scoobies, was bound to happen, even if they weren't standing over a Hellmouth. Willow and Kennedy had one room, so did Buffy and Dawn, Giles was stuck with Andrew, which left Xander. Willow had volunteered him to sleep in her and Kennedy's room, which had two beds. Kennedy had been a little less than pleased, but the walls were too thin anyway, as Willow had later told her.
Everyone was out in seconds. Except for Willow and Xander.
Willow was snuggled next to Kennedy, eyes wide open, wondering when sleep would come. Xander was doing the same, only without the Kennedy snuggling part.
They seemed to sense each other's inability to sleep, because at just the same time, they called out each other's names. "Will." "Xander." They both sat up and turned to one another. Willow half-smiled and Xander grinned. "The battle's over, so why then does the sand man not supply us with sleeping dusty goodness?" Xander mumbled, almost to himself. Willow shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe… we have some things on our mind. Or someone. Maybe one of us wants to listen to the other talk about that someone for… closure." Xander inhaled deeply, and said, "I don't know what to do, Will. I feel really… really… not happy." His voice was cracking as he said it. Willow got up off the bed and joined him on his. "And I feel like I should be happy. We won, hooray, time to throw streamers and pop balloons," he continued. Willow looked at him sadly, squeezing his hand. "Part of me wants to be happy. And the other, slightly larger part just doesn't know how to be happy without… her." For the first time, Xander let the tears run freely down his cheeks. Willow wrapped her arms around him and tried her best to console him. But she knew this wouldn't be the kind of thing he could get over just like that.
**********
Giles awoke with the feeling of dread in his gut. Something bad was about to happen. He jumped up off the bed and began searching for his glasses. Then he remembered. "Andrew!" he muttered. Andrew made a sucking sound with his mouth, rubbed his nose and turned over on his side. "Andrew!" Giles called out, a little louder this time. Still, Andrew didn't stir. Giles swore under his breath as he stubbed his toe in an attempt to make it over to Andrew's sleeping form in the dark without his glasses. Then an idea came to mind. "Faith is stealing your hot pockets," he said. Andrew shot up. "What? Where? When? How? Why?" he said all in one breath. "I thought I labeled them!" "Kindly remove my glasses from your face," Giles said. Andrew turned to him, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Oh, that's why you look so far away," he said, removing them and handing them to Giles, who hastily took them and put them on. "What's up?" Andrew asked, getting off the bed. "Trouble?" Giles raised his eyebrow at the enthusiastic tone he had. "Yes, fortunately for you someone may be in danger," he said. Then he grinned, remembering similar words being spoken to him not much more than three years back by Buffy.
Andrew didn't seem to notice. Instead he looked suspiciously from side to side and said, "My spidey sense is tingling, too!" Giles rolled his eyes, chuckling at the thought of Andrew in a spider-man outfit. "Let's wake Buffy," he said. Andrew nodded. "Yes. Let us awaken the… er… a Slayer!" he said, opening the door and marching out of the motel. He was way too happy about this.
Following Andrew's lead for whatever reason, Giles shuffled along, groaning. He mumbled something about being too old for this. They stopped on the room one door down from them and knocked. A very sleepy Buffy answered after the sixteenth knock. "What?" she asked, yawning. "Trouble," Andrew said. "Anything else?" she asked. He shook his head. Buffy nodded, closed the door, then opened it a few minutes later, not really awake yet. "What's the sitch?" 'I should stop watching Kim Possbile,' she added privately. Giles spoke up. "My, erm, spider sense was tingly, as Andrew would put it," he explained. Buffy raised her eyebrow. "You woke me up because of a spider?" And that's when a loud scream erupted from one of the rooms. Buffy immediately went into Slayer mode, running in the direction of the scream. It was a girl, that much was clear, but as she neared the screams she realized they weren't screams of terror. They were screams of triumph. Out of nowhere, a girl about Dawn's age came running from a room, holding something that looked like a sharp, pointy wooden stick. A stake, Buffy decided. The girl stopped when she saw Buffy. For a moment, her mouth hung open at the sight of her, and Buffy had to wonder if she had put her clothes on correctly. Then the girl squealed, "OH MY GOD! You're Buffy Summers!" The girl came running towards her excitedly. "I heard what you did, with the Slayers and all! Thanks so much! I feel so alive now!" she said in a breath, her brown hair bouncing slightly as she said it. If she had to guess, Buffy would say she was a newly called Slayer.
"Wow, a fan. Want an autograph?" she asked jokingly. The girl's face lit up even more (if that was possible) and she said, "Please! Make it out to Ebony!" She went rummaging inside her pocket and pulled out a pen and paper. 'Who carries around pens and paper?' Buffy thought. "Are you kidding?" she asked Ebony, a little bewildered. Ebony shook her head. "I'm totally serious." Buffy raised her eyebrows, took the paper and pen and scribbled down her signature. "Thanks! Thanks so much!" Giles and Andrew joined her at that moment, and Ebony looked up at Giles in wonder. "You must be Rupert Giles! Wow! Is Willow Rosenberg here, too?" she asked. Buffy and Giles exchanged looks. "I'm part of this huge Scooby gang fan club that would LOVE to meet you all!" Then, out of nowhere, five cars sped into the motel parking lot, and out of them piled… lots of people. "Lemme guess, that would be our fan club?" Buffy asked. She nodded excitedly, waving to the people. "It's Buffy and Giles!" she squealed. "And Andrew," he added for her, but she didn't seem to notice.
"Wow! I've always wanted to meet you!" a red-headed Slayer said, shaking Giles's hand. "I'd be honored to be taught by you, for just a few hours!" Giles smiled unsurely. "Word travels fast," Buffy muttered. "There's more. And this is just one state! You know how many Slayers are… Slayers now? Thanks to you all!" the red-headed girl exclaimed. Now there was an even bigger crowd of people around them. A lot of them wanted to meet Willow and Xander.
"Giles, I really don't like this," Buffy muttered so only he could hear. He nodded. "Yes, well, that's the price of fame." "Fame? All we did was save the world and awaken Slayer all over the Earth! That's… actually pretty impressive…" she said. "Damn, we're good." Giles raised his eyebrow. 'Excellent. I knew something dreadful was going to happen,' he thought as he grabbed for a pen and paper to join in the autograph signing.
**********
"You're human?!" Angel exclaimed. Spike shrugged. "Guess so. Been prancing about in the sunlight, haven't burst into flame," he said. Angel looked wholly confused and extremely… what was it? Horrified? "He became human. He was the vampire with a soul in the Shanshu prophecy," Wesley said. He looked at Lilah for reassurance, and found it. "Wasn't Angel supposed to Shanshu?" Gunn asked. "Well, that's what we assumed, right, I mean, he was the only vampire with a soul when we found the prophecy," Lorne answered. "Wait… if Spike's human, then why the hell can he fight Angel so well?" Gunn questioned. "I mean, the only way he could be that strong and human is if he was a Slayer, right? And Slayers are girls only. I think." Again, all heads turned to Lilah, who sighed for the millionth time and got ready to further explain. "The amulet-it's his power source, as Spike guessed before. If he's not touching it, he's pretty much helpless, though."
Angel snickered. "So, basically you're saying he has to wear that for the rest of his life?" he asked. She nodded. "Bollocks," Spike muttered. "I look like soddin' Elizabeth Taylor in this trinket!" Angel's snickers turned into full out laughing. "That you do," he managed to say through his laughs. "He can put it in his pocket," Lilah said. Spike sighed in relief, and Angel stopped laughing. 'Damn,' he thought.
"Anyway, I'm outta here. You guys have stuff to work out, and if I have to explain one more thing to anyway of you I'm going to… oh, never mind!" Lilah stated, leaving abruptly.
After standing and staring at the floor for a few moments, Angel spoke up. "Let's experiment. Take that amulet off, I want to see how you fight as a weak, helpless human," he asked, or more like demanded, Spike. Spike scoffed. "Yeah, right, I'm not fallin' for that one, I may be human but I'm not stupid. Probly wanna kill me before I get to Buffy," he said. A shadow passed over his face. "She is still alive, right?" he asked. "Oh, yeah, she stopped by," Fred told him. Angel glared at her and she mouthed a "What?" He shook his head and looked back up at Spike. "It's not like she wants you around. She looked pretty relieved at the thought of you being dead." Spike stiffened and said, "Don't lie to me, Angel. I know bloody well she didn't want me dead. You weren't there in our final moments, were you? Well, it was only me n' her, alone together. Nobody else was there. She tried to save me-failed, 'course, because I told 'er to go. And you know what she said before she left?" Angel narrowed his eyes. 'What is he getting at?' he thought. Spike opened his mouth, and then shut it. For some odd reason, he felt their last moments together should remain… theirs. Even though the thought of seeing Angel's face after he told him tempted him greatly. "Never mind," he grumbled.
Then a thought occurred to him. "Where exactly… is Buffy? I figure she'll be thrilled to find I'm human. Humans do belong with other humans, right? The whole vampire-human thing is getting a bit old." Angel let Spike's words sink in. "You're not thinking of… attempting to get back with her are you? Because, trust me, she's not in relationship mode right now," Angel told him. Spike rolled his eyes. "Like I'd tell you."
"She's headed to Cleveland," Fred spoke up. Angel growled and turned to her. She bit her lower lip. Spike grinned. "Thanks for that… what's your name?" he asked, not caring in the least. "Winifred. Fred, for short," she answered. He raised his eyebrow, shrugged slightly, then strode towards the door. Angel was in front of his in seconds. "You're not leaving this room," he threatened. Spike crossed his arms. "Right, what're you gonna do? Kill me? I'm human, remember? You're bloody righteous, kill me and where does that so-called amending you've been doing go?" Angel frowned. Spike was right. He sighed and moved out of his way. "She doesn't love you," he said. Spike turned to him. "I know that. But I'm human, so… I figure my chances are higher than yours right now." And with that, he was gone.
RATING: PG-13
SUMMARY: Buffy/Spike fanfic set after 'Chosen'. After defeating the First, Buffy and the rest of the Scooby gang are Cleveland-bound and ready to start a new chapter in their lives, and they're not the only ones…
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thanks again for all the reviews! I'm so happy people are enjoying it! I got the idea for this chapter (the fan club part) from me and my Buffy-obsessed friends. It's not exactly what you think, though. Just read it, and review, of course.
CHAPTER THREE: The Scooby Fan Club
"Shanshu? Yes, I've heard of the prophecy, but I believed it to be pure myth," Giles said as they sped over the border of Utah. They had been on the road for almost two days now, stopping to sleep in hotels every now and again.
"Angel said he assumed they were talking about him in the prophecy," Buffy told him. Giles nodded. "Well, he is the only ensouled vampire… oh…" Giles began, but trailed off when he realized what everyone else already had.
"Do you think it's possible?" Dawn asked. "I mean, Spike and human used in the same sentence is a little creepy." Buffy shrugged. "I doubt he's alive. That amulet thing probably dusted him like it did the rest of those Ubers," Xander said matter-of-factly. "And plus, if he became human, he'd be buried under all that rubble and probably die of dust intake or suffocation. Or both," Andrew added. Buffy opened her mouth to say something, but shut it again. She suddenly had a sinking feeling in her gut. Willow, seeing Buffy's near distressed face, turned to Andrew. "I know you're new at this but we all kinda like to look on the bright side of things because hey, the life of a Scooby is not a bright one," she said. Andrew made an O with his mouth and decided he should shut up for right now. "So none of you are pessimists?" Kennedy asked, a little quieter than she had intended. She felt a little out of place, talking to the gang and all. She hadn't known them that long.
"Anya was a pessimist, and so was Spike. And Cordelia too. But the rest of us? We're optimists," Xander said. "Life is one big happy bubble of fun for us." Willow turned to Xander. "Happy bubble?" she questioned. He shrugged. "Well, whatever happy we are, it's circley shaped."
"I think it's best we try not to think of what could be and focus on what is. Now, Buffy, you said you wanted me to do some research on that amulet he was wearing?" Giles asked. Buffy nodded. "Just in case."
"I'll need a proper description, of course," Giles told her as he stopped by a little burger hut in the middle of nowhere. "Ooh! I can draw it on my whiteboard!" Andrew exclaimed. He received a few skeptical looks from the gang and added, "Or not."
"It's time to eat, finally," Dawn grumbled when they came to a full stop. "Ooh, Beaver's Burgers. Sounds… chompy," Willow said, looking up at the sign that looked as if it was practically falling off the roof of the small restaurant. "I think Beaver is the name of the town we're in, Will," Xander said, then he stopped himself for a second, furrowing his brows in thought. "Who names their town Beaver?"
**********
"So, how are you, Angel?" Spike said, walking ever so slowly up to his grandsire. "And Cordelia, too. Lilah here says she's in a little bit of a coma at the moment." He gave Angel a cocky grin, and watched as contempt spread over his face. "Spike, what're you… is that my amulet?" he asked, motioning to the amulet Spike still wore around his neck. Spike looked down. "No, sorry mate. This amulet's meant for a champion, remember?" he said. Angel snarled and vamped out, grabbing Spike by the collar of his shirt. Seeing Angel in his vampire visage, Spike tried to do the same, and couldn't. 'Oh, yeah, human,' he thought. He was a good five inches off the ground by the time Angel stopped lifting him. "Give it over," Angel demanded as he made an attempt to grab it from his neck. "Angel, I wouldn't do that," Lilah said. The second Angel got his hands on it, his flesh began to burn, making a small sizzling sound. Angel cried out and withdrew his hand, clutching it and trying to blow away the steam. "I tried to warn him," Lilah muttered. "Nobody listens to me." Angel glared at Spike. "What the hell was that!?" he yelled. Lilah stepped forward and opened her mouth to explain. "The amulet is only supposed to be touched by the person it belongs with. Sorry, Angel. The only reason you were able to touch it before was because it hadn't found its… proper owner yet."
Angel grumbled something Spike would usually be able to hear, but with his not being a vampire and all, he really couldn't decipher it. "Yeah, hurts to know you're not the champion you thought, don't it?" Spike mocked. Angel felt his blood boil at his grandchilde's words, and lunged at Spike. They began exchanging punches and kicks, which Spike met and countered just as easily. He was surprised at his own strength, he had thought being human made him well… human. Angel attempted to elbow Spike in the chest, but, moving considerably quickly, Spike dodged it kneed him in the stomach. Angel swore at the pain in his side and moved away from Spike, who was looking at his hands in utter surprise. He looked up at Lilah. "Did I… regain my vampire strength?" he asked uncertainly. "Or does this soddin' trinket power me up or whatall?" Lilah smirked. "Something like that." Angel, Wesley, Gunn, Lorne and Fred were looking very confused at that moment, and Lilah decided they had waited for an explanation long enough.
She left the room and returned holding a mirror. "Here," she said, handing it to Angel. He looked into it and saw the reflection of the ceiling above him, but as expected, not himself. "What's this for?" he asked. "Point it at Spike." Angel raised his eyebrow, but complied. He almost dropped the mirror when he saw it… saw his reflection. Spike's reflection. Wesley peered over Angel's shoulder and muttered, "Oh dear."
**********
"I think that beaver log combo was made of real wood," Xander said as the bus rumbled over a rocky part of the road. He was clutching his stomach and attempting not to vomit. Willow and Buffy sent him sympathetic looks. "At least you didn't order the beaver tail fish sticks," Dawn said, looking equally as green as Xander. "I'll try and learn not to go to restaurants with a B grade in the future," Giles said, not feeling too well himself. "I think I may need some assistance in… driving." Buffy raised her head. "I'll drive," she volunteered. Everyone but Andrew and Kennedy took over a horrified look, and Willow elbowed Buffy lightly. "Ha, you're such a joker Buffy," she said. Buffy pouted and blew her hair out of her face, but said nothing. "Actually, I'm feeling quite all right," Giles said suddenly, securing his hands on the wheel and sitting up a little straighter.
"That's our Buffster, always makin' with the funny," Xander mumbled, trying to grin and failing miserably. "Hey Giles, when we get to Richfield do ya think we could… you know, rest?" Kennedy asked. Willow looked at Kennedy. "A newly called Slayer, rest? Ha!" she said. "Who said anything about us resting?" Kennedy smiled and winked at her, and Willow blushed.
"That's the plan, yes," Giles answered Kennedy's earlier question, ignoring the sexual remark his ears hadn't wanted to hear. Suddenly, an alarmingly loud snorting sound echoed in the bus, and Giles slammed on the brakes and whipped around. "What happened, is everyone… alright…" he began, then noticed Andrew, who was sprawled across one of the seats. "This just in everyone, Andrew snores," Xander said. Buffy rolled her eyes. "We really should interview people before having them join the gang," she muttered.
**********
The bus stopped in front of a very crappy, broken down motel that looked like it had been pulled right out of a horror film.
"Check out the poltergeist motel," Xander said. "It's all very chilling." Sighing, Giles polished his glasses and squinted at the place they would be staying. "It's the only place for miles, so don't complain. Unless you'd prefer sleeping on the bus," he said. Xander didn't reply, but began walking towards the motel. "Moonlight Motel. Catchy," Kennedy said as she read the semi-medium neon sign atop the building that was flickering on and off. "As long as they don't have any beavers," Dawn muttered, pushing past her and joining Xander.
After they had paid for their rooms, which just so happened to be next to each other in case of an emergency, which, when you were the Scoobies, was bound to happen, even if they weren't standing over a Hellmouth. Willow and Kennedy had one room, so did Buffy and Dawn, Giles was stuck with Andrew, which left Xander. Willow had volunteered him to sleep in her and Kennedy's room, which had two beds. Kennedy had been a little less than pleased, but the walls were too thin anyway, as Willow had later told her.
Everyone was out in seconds. Except for Willow and Xander.
Willow was snuggled next to Kennedy, eyes wide open, wondering when sleep would come. Xander was doing the same, only without the Kennedy snuggling part.
They seemed to sense each other's inability to sleep, because at just the same time, they called out each other's names. "Will." "Xander." They both sat up and turned to one another. Willow half-smiled and Xander grinned. "The battle's over, so why then does the sand man not supply us with sleeping dusty goodness?" Xander mumbled, almost to himself. Willow shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe… we have some things on our mind. Or someone. Maybe one of us wants to listen to the other talk about that someone for… closure." Xander inhaled deeply, and said, "I don't know what to do, Will. I feel really… really… not happy." His voice was cracking as he said it. Willow got up off the bed and joined him on his. "And I feel like I should be happy. We won, hooray, time to throw streamers and pop balloons," he continued. Willow looked at him sadly, squeezing his hand. "Part of me wants to be happy. And the other, slightly larger part just doesn't know how to be happy without… her." For the first time, Xander let the tears run freely down his cheeks. Willow wrapped her arms around him and tried her best to console him. But she knew this wouldn't be the kind of thing he could get over just like that.
**********
Giles awoke with the feeling of dread in his gut. Something bad was about to happen. He jumped up off the bed and began searching for his glasses. Then he remembered. "Andrew!" he muttered. Andrew made a sucking sound with his mouth, rubbed his nose and turned over on his side. "Andrew!" Giles called out, a little louder this time. Still, Andrew didn't stir. Giles swore under his breath as he stubbed his toe in an attempt to make it over to Andrew's sleeping form in the dark without his glasses. Then an idea came to mind. "Faith is stealing your hot pockets," he said. Andrew shot up. "What? Where? When? How? Why?" he said all in one breath. "I thought I labeled them!" "Kindly remove my glasses from your face," Giles said. Andrew turned to him, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Oh, that's why you look so far away," he said, removing them and handing them to Giles, who hastily took them and put them on. "What's up?" Andrew asked, getting off the bed. "Trouble?" Giles raised his eyebrow at the enthusiastic tone he had. "Yes, fortunately for you someone may be in danger," he said. Then he grinned, remembering similar words being spoken to him not much more than three years back by Buffy.
Andrew didn't seem to notice. Instead he looked suspiciously from side to side and said, "My spidey sense is tingling, too!" Giles rolled his eyes, chuckling at the thought of Andrew in a spider-man outfit. "Let's wake Buffy," he said. Andrew nodded. "Yes. Let us awaken the… er… a Slayer!" he said, opening the door and marching out of the motel. He was way too happy about this.
Following Andrew's lead for whatever reason, Giles shuffled along, groaning. He mumbled something about being too old for this. They stopped on the room one door down from them and knocked. A very sleepy Buffy answered after the sixteenth knock. "What?" she asked, yawning. "Trouble," Andrew said. "Anything else?" she asked. He shook his head. Buffy nodded, closed the door, then opened it a few minutes later, not really awake yet. "What's the sitch?" 'I should stop watching Kim Possbile,' she added privately. Giles spoke up. "My, erm, spider sense was tingly, as Andrew would put it," he explained. Buffy raised her eyebrow. "You woke me up because of a spider?" And that's when a loud scream erupted from one of the rooms. Buffy immediately went into Slayer mode, running in the direction of the scream. It was a girl, that much was clear, but as she neared the screams she realized they weren't screams of terror. They were screams of triumph. Out of nowhere, a girl about Dawn's age came running from a room, holding something that looked like a sharp, pointy wooden stick. A stake, Buffy decided. The girl stopped when she saw Buffy. For a moment, her mouth hung open at the sight of her, and Buffy had to wonder if she had put her clothes on correctly. Then the girl squealed, "OH MY GOD! You're Buffy Summers!" The girl came running towards her excitedly. "I heard what you did, with the Slayers and all! Thanks so much! I feel so alive now!" she said in a breath, her brown hair bouncing slightly as she said it. If she had to guess, Buffy would say she was a newly called Slayer.
"Wow, a fan. Want an autograph?" she asked jokingly. The girl's face lit up even more (if that was possible) and she said, "Please! Make it out to Ebony!" She went rummaging inside her pocket and pulled out a pen and paper. 'Who carries around pens and paper?' Buffy thought. "Are you kidding?" she asked Ebony, a little bewildered. Ebony shook her head. "I'm totally serious." Buffy raised her eyebrows, took the paper and pen and scribbled down her signature. "Thanks! Thanks so much!" Giles and Andrew joined her at that moment, and Ebony looked up at Giles in wonder. "You must be Rupert Giles! Wow! Is Willow Rosenberg here, too?" she asked. Buffy and Giles exchanged looks. "I'm part of this huge Scooby gang fan club that would LOVE to meet you all!" Then, out of nowhere, five cars sped into the motel parking lot, and out of them piled… lots of people. "Lemme guess, that would be our fan club?" Buffy asked. She nodded excitedly, waving to the people. "It's Buffy and Giles!" she squealed. "And Andrew," he added for her, but she didn't seem to notice.
"Wow! I've always wanted to meet you!" a red-headed Slayer said, shaking Giles's hand. "I'd be honored to be taught by you, for just a few hours!" Giles smiled unsurely. "Word travels fast," Buffy muttered. "There's more. And this is just one state! You know how many Slayers are… Slayers now? Thanks to you all!" the red-headed girl exclaimed. Now there was an even bigger crowd of people around them. A lot of them wanted to meet Willow and Xander.
"Giles, I really don't like this," Buffy muttered so only he could hear. He nodded. "Yes, well, that's the price of fame." "Fame? All we did was save the world and awaken Slayer all over the Earth! That's… actually pretty impressive…" she said. "Damn, we're good." Giles raised his eyebrow. 'Excellent. I knew something dreadful was going to happen,' he thought as he grabbed for a pen and paper to join in the autograph signing.
**********
"You're human?!" Angel exclaimed. Spike shrugged. "Guess so. Been prancing about in the sunlight, haven't burst into flame," he said. Angel looked wholly confused and extremely… what was it? Horrified? "He became human. He was the vampire with a soul in the Shanshu prophecy," Wesley said. He looked at Lilah for reassurance, and found it. "Wasn't Angel supposed to Shanshu?" Gunn asked. "Well, that's what we assumed, right, I mean, he was the only vampire with a soul when we found the prophecy," Lorne answered. "Wait… if Spike's human, then why the hell can he fight Angel so well?" Gunn questioned. "I mean, the only way he could be that strong and human is if he was a Slayer, right? And Slayers are girls only. I think." Again, all heads turned to Lilah, who sighed for the millionth time and got ready to further explain. "The amulet-it's his power source, as Spike guessed before. If he's not touching it, he's pretty much helpless, though."
Angel snickered. "So, basically you're saying he has to wear that for the rest of his life?" he asked. She nodded. "Bollocks," Spike muttered. "I look like soddin' Elizabeth Taylor in this trinket!" Angel's snickers turned into full out laughing. "That you do," he managed to say through his laughs. "He can put it in his pocket," Lilah said. Spike sighed in relief, and Angel stopped laughing. 'Damn,' he thought.
"Anyway, I'm outta here. You guys have stuff to work out, and if I have to explain one more thing to anyway of you I'm going to… oh, never mind!" Lilah stated, leaving abruptly.
After standing and staring at the floor for a few moments, Angel spoke up. "Let's experiment. Take that amulet off, I want to see how you fight as a weak, helpless human," he asked, or more like demanded, Spike. Spike scoffed. "Yeah, right, I'm not fallin' for that one, I may be human but I'm not stupid. Probly wanna kill me before I get to Buffy," he said. A shadow passed over his face. "She is still alive, right?" he asked. "Oh, yeah, she stopped by," Fred told him. Angel glared at her and she mouthed a "What?" He shook his head and looked back up at Spike. "It's not like she wants you around. She looked pretty relieved at the thought of you being dead." Spike stiffened and said, "Don't lie to me, Angel. I know bloody well she didn't want me dead. You weren't there in our final moments, were you? Well, it was only me n' her, alone together. Nobody else was there. She tried to save me-failed, 'course, because I told 'er to go. And you know what she said before she left?" Angel narrowed his eyes. 'What is he getting at?' he thought. Spike opened his mouth, and then shut it. For some odd reason, he felt their last moments together should remain… theirs. Even though the thought of seeing Angel's face after he told him tempted him greatly. "Never mind," he grumbled.
Then a thought occurred to him. "Where exactly… is Buffy? I figure she'll be thrilled to find I'm human. Humans do belong with other humans, right? The whole vampire-human thing is getting a bit old." Angel let Spike's words sink in. "You're not thinking of… attempting to get back with her are you? Because, trust me, she's not in relationship mode right now," Angel told him. Spike rolled his eyes. "Like I'd tell you."
"She's headed to Cleveland," Fred spoke up. Angel growled and turned to her. She bit her lower lip. Spike grinned. "Thanks for that… what's your name?" he asked, not caring in the least. "Winifred. Fred, for short," she answered. He raised his eyebrow, shrugged slightly, then strode towards the door. Angel was in front of his in seconds. "You're not leaving this room," he threatened. Spike crossed his arms. "Right, what're you gonna do? Kill me? I'm human, remember? You're bloody righteous, kill me and where does that so-called amending you've been doing go?" Angel frowned. Spike was right. He sighed and moved out of his way. "She doesn't love you," he said. Spike turned to him. "I know that. But I'm human, so… I figure my chances are higher than yours right now." And with that, he was gone.
