From the end to a new beginning

by Spunkles

CHAPTER EIGHT NOW UP Enjoy...and don't forget to review. :-D So here you go...hope you enjoy it.

1. From the end to a new beginning

I know I'm burning up.

I can feel this soul lighting me up.

Want to see how it ends, indeed.

I just let her go.

Nothing but death for her here…and I can't have that.

I'm gonna do it right this time.

I'm gonna save them all…because without them…she wouldn't be able to live like I want her to.  Need her to.

Told her she didn't love me…but I saw she did.

I saw the flame that ignited between us…it burned brighter than the sun…. and it didn't hurt. I felt warm and loved.

I felt it with her…and knew she felt it back.

But I know how stubborn she is. 

My stubborn, willful slayer.

This way she'll go…she'll figure it out.

What I want her to do.

She'll live…for me.

They all will…but her most of all.

Pity I'm going though.

Niblet was just starting to warm back up to me.

Don't know if we'd be like we were before…too much in between to ever heal completely

But I'd have liked to seen…

She'll be fine though.

Tough enough to take care of herself that one is…

'Specially now that they see her as somethin' other than a child.

Red'll be fine…magic worked like a charm

Gettin' a good hold on that. 

Don't think she'll hang onto that Kennedy chick for long though.

Seemed a little too soon and it doesn't really look like she loves her.

Best luck for them anyway.

Harris'll do well.  Even with only one eye.

Good thing I'm dying…I'd never mention it at any other time that I like the boy and hope he and ex-demon girl finally get a chance at happiness that they deserve.

Rupert.  Hehe…. any other day.  I'd tell Rupert off.  But since he'll never hear this…he was a good sort.  Took care of my girl the way a father should have.  Glad they reconciled, I am.  They need one another…and if I'm not there for her…I hope he will be.  At least to check up on her.

World full of slayers now…

It's gonna be a whole different ball game now.

Really wish I was gonna stay now.

It'd be worth it to watch.

It's getting worse…

I can feel my body pulling apart.

Shocked I've lasted this far…. should have been dust by now.

Everything's destroyed down here.

This bloody beam I have beaming out of my chest is causing the Hellmouth to collapse in on itself.

Guess I was telling Buffy the truth when I said I had to do the cleanup, huh?

Weird thing…

Thought finally dying would bother me.

It's not.

I'm doing the right thing.

And I'm proud…glad to do it.

Bugger it…I'm a bleeding white hat after all.

I laugh as I feel my flesh tearing apart…the fire has consumed me now.

End of the line…

I love you Buffy!

Ashes to Ashes…

Dust to Dust.

Then everything turns black.

*****

Thought it'd be dark and dank here.

Loss of hope itself and all that rot.

Started out like that.

Then I guess I opened my eyes.

Hey…I still got eyes!

Wonder what else is intact?

Everything's here…completely intact…still have my treasured duster.  Should have given it to Buffy so she could remember me by...oh well. 

What am I doing here?

Where am I here?

I look around…it's kinda like the tomb on unconsecrated ground, Buffy and Caleb fought in… although not as dark.

It's marble and light in here.

Is that sunlight?

Shouldn't I be on fire?

The sun cannot harm you here…lower being.

Spike spins around, but doesn't see anyone.

"What the bloody hell?"

We are nowhere and everywhere…you will not see us unless we wish to be seen.  Do you understand vampire?

"I understand you're annoying me.  What do you want?  Or is this my hell…to be tortured by you?"

He does not understand.

"How can I understand if you don't talk to me…and why don't you appear already.  I feel like I'm talking to myself again…and after getting my soul back…I did way more of that than I ever want to do again.  Got it?"

He is very uncivilized sister…

It is part of his charm brother…

"Today would be nice," Spike muttered.

Two figures appeared several feet before him, on top of a pedestal.  The first was a man and the second a woman.  Both appeared to be in their mid twenties and humanoid…but Spike was pretty sure that this wasn't the case.  And their gold and silver intertwined bronzed skin was merely a testimony to the case.  Their clothing appeared ancient…toga-like to Spike's estimation.

"What are you?"

Don't you mean whom?

"I'm fairly certain I said what I meant?"

See brother…charm.

Spike rolled his eyes and looked around.

"Where's the exit?"

You can only reach this chamber by being summoned by us.  Changes had to be made since the incident.

"Incident?"

That is none of your concern.

Do not act that way brother…it doesn't matter if he knows or not.

The female stepped down and walked towards Spike.

Our predecessors where murdered by a demon who gained access thru the old system.  So now, we do not allow access…we merely pull you if we need you and send you where we want you to go afterwards.

Spike nodded.

"And you would be?"

You may call us the Oracles.

The male stepped down and joined the female.

"What was your name before?"

It is what we are…we were created, because the previous Oracles had been killed.  We have now assumed their positions.  We had no names before.

"Lovely…why am I here?"

We have use for you. 

"What…no…I'm finished.  I did my job…I did the right thing…so off to hell I go, right?"

Your work is not finished.

"Uhh… maybe you missed the big…light Spike aflame moment…but I'm pretty sure I died."

You did.

"See…dead equals finished."

No…dead equals one task is finished.  Your next task waits for you.

"Bugger that."

The female laughed.

She turned to the male and said something that Spike could not hear.

The male shrugged and they turned back to Spike.

We are ready to send you.

"Hold up…send me where?"

Send you to your next task, of course.

Spike sighed.

"Not worth the bother of telling you off, is it?"

Not really. 

"Do I get any information about this next task?  Will I be myself?"

More or less.

"That sounds comforting."

I believe I shall be much entertained by your next assignment, lower being.

"The name is Spike."

The male rolled his eyes.

The female laughed again.

"You both seem a bit more…shall we say…less rigid for superior beings and all."

Our predecessors weren't as…

"Humanish?"

Exactly… but they didn't last.  When we were created…we were installed with humor and it appears jealousy.

The male glared at the female…but refused to answer.

He turned towards Spike, who was smirking at him.

It is time for you to go.

'Are you going to tell me about my assignment?"

You will figure it all out soon enough.

"Oh great."

Go with light, lower being.  Champions for the side of the good are always useful.

"And do you remember that light plus vampire equals toasty pile of ashes?"

We remember.

"So?"

Things change. 

"Very nice…and cryptic…have you been getting lessons from Angelus?"

Both beings smiled and the female and male raised their outer hands.

"What are you doing?"

Sending you on your way.  And… Spike?

"Yes?"

No staking the first vampire you see.

"What the…."

Spike's fall into unconsciousness stopped his question.

*******

The first noise he heard was breathing.

Deep, ragged, labored breathing.

He wondered who was making the sound…but couldn't get his eyes opened to look around.

He concentrated on his other senses instead.

He could tell there were others in the room with him.

Their intentions…he wasn't sure…he didn't even know where he was.

He did sense a vampire though…a familiar one…but something was wrong with his senses.  He knew it was there…that it was probably someone he knew…but he couldn't detect whom through smell.  Weird.

The breathing was still the strongest sound in the room.

Small murmurs of the other's voices drifted down to him.  All voices merged into one voice, so he only caught a little of what they said,

" Is he the one she spoke of…. do you know…. who is he… he seems familiar."

Spike slowly opened his eyes…. to see three people staring down at him.

People he'd never seen before…but they all seemed to be human…two guys…one white with glasses…sort of Watcher-y looking, one black, kind of tough guy looking, and a girl…pretty he guessed, tall and skinny…none seemed to be a threat to him, so he wasn't worried about them. 

But where was the vampire he was sensing?

He looked past them at the room.

Which was stark white.  No windows…didn't appear to have any walls either…no doors…no ceiling…just whiteness…everywhere.

Where the hell was he?

They were still talking around him…they seemed to be just as confused as him being there as he was about being there.  They were wondering whom he was, that much he could discern.  The guy with the glasses thinks he has an idea of whom he may be…wonder if he really knows, Spike wondered.

He was about to mention who he was, when he realized that the breathing he had heard before was his.

I'm breathing.

Breathing?

Me…I'm breathing!!  Bloody hell!!

He tried to stop breathing and a painful feeling entered his lungs so he let go and let them do their job.

Wow…breathing.  Hey…does that mean I'm alive?  He listened and heard a heartbeat.  Wow, he thought.  Well they weren't kidding when they mentioned more or less, huh?

Spike was just getting over the shock when he looked at the group above him and said,

"Who are you?"

"Well we were just asking you the same thing?"

"I'm…."

"He's Spike," a voice said from the side of the room.

Spike turned his head at the voice to glare at Angel.

"No bloody way," he shouted.  He was about to get up when he realized that he was naked.

"Very funny," he shouted at the ceiling.

"Much in the way of a brand new baby boy Spike, you've been delivered to us...dressed in your birthday suit."

Spike merely glared at Angel.

Lilah came into the room, blinked in like the rest of them; in her arms she held clothes.  She stooped next to Spike.

"Welcome to our…. organization, Mr. Spike.  Here's some clothes for you…"

"Thanks Doll."

Spike pulled on the pants that he was given, but when he was putting on the shirt, he noticed that the trinket that had helped him save Buffy and the Sunnydale crew and destroy the Hellmouth still remained around his neck.

He lifted it and looked at it.

Knew this bloody trinket would get me into trouble, he thought.

Then he remembered Buffy.

He smiled softly.

Ah luv…I wonder where you are now.

Spike was interrupted in his musing by Angel who came and stood before him.

Angel growled at him.

"What now?"

"You smell like Buffy."

Spike smirked.

"Is that right?  In that case, I'll never take a bath.  Not to mention, now I'm back…I think I'll go find her."

"You're not going anywhere near her!"

"And you're gonna stop me, how?"

Angel growled and started to attack him.

Spike laughed and threw himself into the fray.

Blows were matched and parried.  Neither side was pulling punches and although both parties were feeling damage…neither side was giving in.  They realized they were quite matched.  Angel vamped out, intending on increasing his strength by using his extra strength.  Spike attempted to do the same, but his face wouldn't morph. 

What the hell, he thought.

Angel saw the trinket that he had given Buffy around Spike's neck and had grabbed at it.

"Get off!" Spike shoved him away from him by placing his foot on his chest and pushing hard.

"Take that off…you aren't any champion," Angel said lunging at him, once he had recovered from the hard shove.

He punched Spike in the nose and when Spike recoiled, he executed a savage blow to the back of his head.  Spike fell to the ground, stunned for the moment, onto his knees and Angel ripped the trinket off of Spike's neck.

Spike fell the rest of the way to the floor gasping in pain.

He felt like his lungs were going to explode.  He couldn't breathe, no matter how hard he tried.  He could feel everything around him going black…and the worst thing; he didn't know what the hell was wrong with him.

"Angel…I think he needs that."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look at him, man, the minute you took that thing away from him he started going downhill fast."

"So?"

"He was sent to us for a reason, Angel, you have to give him that amulet back.  He's gonna die without it."

Angel looked down at Spike…who was starting to turn paler.

Sighing deeply, he reluctantly put the amulet back around Spike's neck. 

Once it was back in place, it sealed itself back together and Spike started breathing normally again.

Seconds later, he regained consciousness.

"What the hell?"

The girl crouched down next to him.

"We're not sure…but we think you might need the amulet to survive."

"Great, just great.  No wonder the bloody pillock thought it would be interesting."

Lilah came back into the room once more and handed a file to Angel and another one to Spike.

"What's this?" both of them asked her.

"It's our information we have on what has happened to Mr. Spike."
"Just Spike luv?"

Lilah nodded before turning back to Angel to continue.

"We've checked the blood samples…ones we obtained from when the initiative had him captured and matched them against the ones we took when he appeared in the white room…"

"When did you take my blood?"
"Don't sweat it, they do all sorts of things you can't fathom."

"Lucky me."

Gunn chuckled.

"As I was saying, sirs," Lilah said with a smirk, "we matched the samples and they're the same, except for one difference.

"And what's the difference Lilah?"
"The demon has been extracted, completely wiped out."

"What?"

"What?"

"You're no longer a demon Spike…you're all human."

"But my strength is the same."
"Actually, we believe your strength might be more than it was before.  You were strong before, but Angel was stronger because he was older, right?"

Spike nodded, agreeing somewhat.

"But, " Lilah continued," when you were fighting Angel just now, it didn't appear like he was beating you down all that much.  Looked like your strength might be the same or better."

'Well…if the demon part of me was completely wiped out, why the hell am I still strong?"

"We're still checking it out, but we do have one question."

"What?"
"When you were being cleansed, wiping out the Turok-han and closing the Sunnydale Hellmouth, did you happen to touch any of the slayers?"
"Yeah," Spike said with a smile on his face.

"Which slayer?"
"Buffy."

"Can you tell us exactly what happened?"

Angel turned and attempted to leave the room Lilah told him,

'You might want to stay and find out what he is?"

Angel turned and scowling, crossed his arms across his chest, braced his feet wide apart, and glared at Spike, waiting to hear what had happened and what Spike may now be.

Spike smirked and turned back to Lilah.

"I was fighting the uber-vamps with the slayers when my soul punched a hole in the ceiling and the trinket used my soul as some kind of amplifier, I'm guessing, and a giant beam of light came out of me and dusted them all.  It also started bringing down the building, collapsing the Hellmouth on itself, so the girls ran.  Buffy wanted me to stay, but I told her to go…"

Spike paused and glanced at Angel, before smirking and continuing,

"…. we had some more words, and then I told her to go…she left…I made a couple of quips…and the trinket burned me through and through…. and then I dusted."

"I'm sure there was more than that."

"Well…yeah…but you asked about the battle."

Lilah smiled.

"Okay…when you and Buffy were talking…did she touch you?"

"Yeah…she grabbed my hand and gave it a squeeze…right after I told her I wasn't gonna leave."

"Anything weird happen then?"

Spike thought for a moment.

"Yeah…when our hands were together…a flame rose between our hands…engulfing them in a bright flame…but it didn't hurt.  It was weird, but it felt right…. not to mention there wasn't time to question it, building falling down and all, I just wanted her out of there so she didn't die again."

Lilah looked away for a couple of minutes and then looked back.

"Okay…yep…this new information confirms our belief of what happened."

"Care to explain it to the rest of us?"
"Yes, what exactly is going on, Lilah?"

"The flame that rose between Buffy and Spike merged a bit of their essences together.  And since it happened during his cleansing and purification…I believe Spike…you've made history again."

"What do you mean?"
"You are the first, ever, male slayer."

Spike's mouth dropped open.

"Bugger me."

Lilah laughed and looked at Angel.

"Seems like we have a new player in town, Sir.  Where shall we set him up at?"

Spike looked only slightly interested.  Being the whole ONLY male slayer, ever, was a bit humbling for him.  Fred came up to him and helped him sit down, before he fell down.  Spike barely noticed her.

Angel growled and told the rest he was going out.

Lilah stopped in front of him.

When he vamped out, she shrugged and merely said,

"Are we forgetting the whole, I'm already dead and you don't scare me thing again?  Cause really boss…it's getting kind of tired."

Angel sighed and un-morphed, barely keeping his anger in check.

"What.  Do.  You.  Want.  Lilah?" he asked her

"I asked you a question, boss.  Where should we set him up?  The hotel."

Spike came out of his daze then…and hearing Lilah's suggestion had no choice but to answer.

"No bloody way.  I'm not staying anywhere near this poofter.  You'll just have to find me somewhere else to live.  Hey…I'm human now…that means…I can get a place…and NOT invite you in," he said to Angel…giving him his traditional smirk.

Fred and Gunn laughed.

Lilah smirked.

Wesley did neither, but his eyes were definitely laughing.

"I don't care where you set him up Lilah…just do it.  I'll be at the hotel if you need me.  And Spike?"

"Yes Dead Boy?"
"Don't push me boy!"

"Oooh…I'm shaking.  The big bad fluffy vampire with a soul is scaring me.  Whatever shall I do…Oh wait…I'm a Soddin' slayer…. the only one…well…only male one that is…I'll just STAKE it."

Angel growled, turned, and strode off, his coat billowing behind him.

Spike chuckled.

"Well that was fun.  What's next on the agenda?"

'You had an agenda?  You just got here."
"Well…I didn't really…but pissing off Angel is always top priority on my list.  Makes for a healthy slayer."

Gunn and Fred laughed again.

"I'm Gunn…Charles Gunn…but just call me Gunn…everyone does."

"Nice to meet you."

He turned and looked at Fred.

"And who are you darling?"
Fred giggled.

"I'm Fred…Winifred…nice to meet you."
"Pleasure's mine."

He turned towards Wesley.

He seemed familiar to Spike…but he couldn't quite place it…and then it hit him.  He looked like Giles.

He started laughing.

"And what's so very funny?"

"You remind me of Rupert."

"Rupert Giles?"

"Oh you've got to be a watcher.  Whose watcher are you mate?  And when did watchers…or ex-watchers, become so rugged looking like?"
"I'm Wesley Wyndam-Price…and once I was Buffy and Faith's watcher.  And I haven't been a watcher for some time now…so I don't have to keep up to their dress or conduct codes."

"Oh…you're the one that got sent back when you couldn't cut it as a watcher and Buffy quit the council.  Yeah…I heard about that.  And you."
"Really?"

"Barely."

"Oh…I have to say…this is fascinating.  William the Bloody, scourge of the underworld…slayer of two slayers…now first male slayer ever."

"That would be me."
"Do you mind if I take notes and interview you for my journals?"

Spike sighed.

"Sure…why not?  Hold up…you're not gonna be MY watcher, are you?"

Spike looked him up and down, and Wesley was reminded of the way Buffy and Faith had both eyed and looked him over when he had first became their Watcher.
"Well…we'd have to contact the council and check…this is all unchartered territory…what?  Why are you shaking your head?"
"First of all…. you were fired…they wouldn't want to hear from you anyway…am I right?"

Wesley shrugged and at Spike's intense look he nodded, reluctantly.

"Second…there is no more council."

"Of course there's a council…there's a main base in England."

"No…there WAS a main base in England. It's gone now…agents of The First blew it up while they were in session.  Sorry to give you bad news…but only a bit of you are left."

Wesley's face went blank…

"Oh."

Spike sighed and looked towards the other two.

They just looked back at him.  He was about to go ask him how to get out of the room when Wesley touched his shoulder.

He turned and looked at him

"Yeah?"
"When was this?" 

"A couple of weeks ago…. didn't Giles call and tell you?  Or Willow…when she came up here to gather Faith and stick a soul back into ole Angelus?"

"No…I guess they were busy…wait…you said Giles is still alive?"
"He should be.  He was fighting up top…so I'm only hoping they all still made it.  And if he hasn't gone back to England yet, they should be somewhere…on the road I guess.  Can't go back to Sunnydale if they tried."

"Why not?"
"Didn't you hear me tell you it's gone?  I collapsed it.  The amulet closed the Hellmouth for good…by closing it in on itself."

"So they'll probably be in touch soon…"

"I hope so."

Spike smiled again at the thought of his slayer…not to mention seeing Niblet again…. and Willow.  He wouldn't mention seeing Xander…he even stopped himself from thinking about being glad if he had made it.  Not to mention seeing Ripper again.  He may not be thrilled with him, on account of the whole trying to kill him plot with Wood, but…he could rub his slayerness in his face for sure.  He almost couldn't wait to see the expression on Giles's face…he was sure to clean those glasses of his a million times.  And actually…I'd love to see Xander again.  Just so I can rub my new slayerness in his face as well.  When he finds up I'm a real champion he's so gonna flip.  Jeez…my pet has me sounding like her now… sodden, stubborn, lovely, wonderful slayer.  Hold up.

He turned to Wesley. 

"You want to confer with Giles about me…don't you?  Pool your resources about the phenomena that is the second vampire with a soul, turned male slayer."

Wesley looked a bit sheepish as he mentioned, "Yeah."

Spike laughed and turned towards the other two.

"Someone please get me out of this room."

They laughed and led him to the exit.

As they were exiting the elevator into the main lobby Spike remembered something. 

Now he had put on the shirt and socks and boots he had been brought, in the elevator, but he kept feeling like something was missing.

His mind flashed back to Angel leaving, upstairs, his long coat billowing out behind him…and that's when it hit him.

"OH BLOODY HELL!!!"

"What is it?  What's wrong Spike?"
"Those sodding wankers took my sodding duster.  I had that bloody thing with me for twenty-six years…. and now it's gone.  They just had to let it dust…doesn't matter if a bloke fights all evil and badass impulses and fights on the side of the good and all.  Nah… his prized duster gets taken away by some toga wearing superior beings for a bloody joke.  Ya should have just sent me to hell," Spike muttered before turning to the rest of the group, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"Someone find me a demon quick," he said, his voice clipped and barely containing the anger he felt."

"Why?"

"I need to kill something."

Now, now champion…calm down.  Your prized duster was a mere sacrifice for the new life you are to embark on.  Besides…you took that from another champion…we couldn't let you keep it.

"Get out of my head," Spike roared.'

Gunn, Fred, and Wesley looked at him questioningly, but neither was willing to mess with the former demon and current male slayer when he was in such an obviously bad mood.

"I'll be back," was all they got as he strode out the doors of the building.

He stopped and closed his eyes. 

His body tuned itself to what he wanted and he turned and started running.

He burst into an abandoned warehouse a couple of blocks away.

He smashed a wooden crate nearby the entrance to get his wood and stalked into the warehouse with a purpose.

Twenty minutes later, he was feeling much, much better.

He had kicked a lot of demon ass.

And he had been so brutal in his pummeling, that a few of the vampires he had fought had ran out of the building, preferring to burn to death than suffer the punishment he was doling out.

Spike strolled out of the warehouse and walked back to the Wolfram & Heart Office building, whistling.

He spotted Gunn, Wesley, & Fred standing by the front door where he had left them.

He smiled at them.

"I feel much better now.  What do they have to eat around here?  I'm starving," he said as they walked off towards the doorway that an assistant coming to show them the way to the kitchen, lead them.

"A bloke could get used to this," Spike stopped to mutter as he walked through the doorway.  "One more vote for the white hats team." 

Then they walked through the doorway, leaving the lobby behind them.

~~~~~~~: -D~~~~~~~~