Haven't said thanks for a while, so here it is THANKS for the reviews!
Chapter 8
Buffy scanned the page of the book that Giles had just passed her. She frowned at the ancient wording; Buffy handed the book back to Giles.
"Could ya tell it to me in English please?" Buffy asked.
"How much do you know about the amulet?" asked Giles
"Only what Angel told me, something about it having cleansing abilities and giving strength to the wearer, and oh yeah, it had to be worn by someone more powerful than a human," said Buffy.
"Well, according to this volume, it was supposed to be worn only by a slayer because of it powers, it does not matter than the wearer has a 100% chance of ending up dead, because that is the destiny for most slayers anyway," said Giles.
"It seemed to work just fine on me, not being a slayer and what not," said Spike airily.
"Yes I know, but it has changed the order of things, when Anya and I went to visit the Beljoxa's eye it told us that everything had been messed up because Buffy was brought back, well she was supposed to die in the Hellmouth, not you Spike,"
"But why?" asked Buffy
"To restore the natural order of the slayer line that was altered when you were resurrected, am I talking in another language here?" asked Giles.
"But the first was defeated and most of us got out of it with our lives, so where's the bad," said Willow.
"Do you think I wanted Buffy to die, better Spike than her." trailed off Giles.
"How can you say that Giles, treat him like some disposable life form, just because he's a demon, so it was better Anya than Andrew too? These are people that fought along side us for years, and without their help this pathetic little planet would have been destroyed long ago," said Buffy angrily.
"There are always casualties in war Buffy, you are a general, you should know that by now," said Giles.
"Yes I know that, but there are also unacceptable losses too," said Buffy quietly as she looked into Spike's eyes.
He returned her look sadly.
"Spike it does not diminish your sacrifice, you did it, you got the job done, the reason any of us are still here is because of you, and some of us around here need to be displaying a little more gratitude," said Buffy looking pointedly at Giles.
Andrew was felling a little wigged out by all the tension in the room, he breathed an audible sigh of relief when the doorbell rang.
"I'll er um get that," said Andrew to himself as no one was listening to him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Andrew opened the door.
"Hey Andrew what are you doing here, is my apartment cleaning it's self?" asked Xander.
"The others let me tag along, I wanted to see Spike, everyone else had," said Andrew touchily.
"Lighten up kid, I was only teasing you, course you're entitled to some free time, didn't think you thought of me as a slave trader," said Xander slightly offended.
He walked past Andrew and went into the lounge. Andrew looked at the open apartment door, the idea of some fresh air seemed very appealing to him right now, and he walked out the door without a backward glance.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey guys how's it going?" asked Xander
"Great, just keeps getting better and better," said Willow sarcastically.
"Spike! You're up and about, not gonna go all cuckoo on us are you?" asked Xander.
"Spike's fine Xander," said Buffy.
"Just checking, no offence," said Xander.
"None taken, well maybe a little bit," said Spike.
"So what's the 411?" asked Xander.
"The others can tell you, I'm going to my room, coming with Spike?" asked Buffy.
"Don't do anything icky in there especially on my bed," said Dawn.
"Quit while you are ahead Dawnie, I know big sis's temper," said Spike
"Do you think that's wise Buff?" asked Xander.
"Look can you all just get it in your thick skulls, Spike is still all soul having and besides I trust him so you're all gonna have to get used to the changes around here," said Buffy taking Spike's hand and leading him to her room and closing the door.
"What was all that about?" asked Xander curiously.
He sat down at the table with the others while they brought him up to speed with the events of the last few hours.
"So lets get this straight, Spike can walk in the day and Buffy should have been the one to die in the Hellmouth?" asked Xander.
"That's about the sum of it," said Willow.
"Well I can't say I'm sorry that things worked out the way they did," said Xander.
"What ever you do, don't say that in front of Buffy," warned Willow.
"Well I already pointed that fact out, it wasn't well received in certain quarters," said Giles.
"Yep for an English guy, you're certainly lacking in the tact department," grinned Willow.
"What's being English got to do with manners? Asked Giles.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy sat on her bed; Spike sat in the chair in the corner and regarded her silently.
"Sorry about Dawn, sorry about all of it," sighed Buffy.
"Don't apologise for them love, it's just their way of looking out for you, besides I know the nibblet she just enjoys winding you up, and Giles well, he's just being Giles," said Spike.
"You're a lot more generous towards them than I would be in your situation, anyway lets not talk about that any more," said Buffy.
"Fine by me," said Spike.
Buffy looked at him seriously.
"Spike it's time to stop avoiding the issue, I need you to tell me where you went when you died, it could be important to what's going on with you right now," she said.
"Okay I'll tell you, but you won't bloody believe me," he said.
"Try me, I'm willing to go to go on a little faith here, I once told you I believed in you Spike, nothing has changed that opinion," said Buffy.
He smiled at her warmly, reassured by her words.
"Remember when you died?" asked Spike.
"Which time?" she joked.
"When you were dead for nearly five months," he replied.
"Yes, of course I do," Said Buffy.
"Well, I went to the same place as you, the same heavenly dimension," Spike told her.
Buffy paled.
"But that's the place where only slayers go," said Buffy.
"You don't have to tell me love, I was there," said Spike wryly.
"But why?" asked Buffy.
"It makes a lot more sense to me now, that amulet must have been forged as a slayers weapon in the same way that pretty scythe was, so the wearer presumably a slayer, when she dies instantly gets sent to the slayers dimension, only it screwed up because I got sent there instead," said Spike.
Buffy's eyes widened.
"Is that what you meant by your words 'they threw me out, they didn't want me' asked Buffy.
"Wasn't winning any popularity contests while I was there, Spike the killer of two slayers is not gonna be at the top of everyone's getting to know you list," said Spike.
"But surely your messianic act of saving the world must have cut you some slack?" asked Buffy.
"Try telling that to Nikki Wood and that Chinese bird I slayed," said Spike.
"I can imagine, although I never got to meet them while I was there," said Buffy.
"Yeah, never realised there'd been so many chosen ones," said Spike.
"Is that why they sent you back?" asked Buffy.
"That and the fact I nagged at them for about a millennia," said Spike.
Buffy smiled.
"So how did you get back here?" She asked.
"I appealed to the powers that be, told them there had been a big mistake, took awhile to get them to listen to me, but time wasn't really an issue," he said.
"Yeah, I remember, all too well, it's the lack of time that causes some of the disorientation on the journey back," said Buffy.
Buffy looked at Spike.
"Anything else I should know?" asked Buffy.
"Like what?" He asked.
"Like why you are changing," said Buffy raising an eyebrow at him.
"I can only assume it's to do with the amulet," said Spike evasively.
Buffy got up off of the bed and walked over to Spike. she got down on her knees in front of him and covered his hands with her own.
"I missed you, remember when I said I wasn't ready for you to not be here?" she asked.
"I remember, those words gave me more hope than you can imagine," he sighed at the memory.
"Well it wasn't until you were gone that I realised, I'll never be ready for you to not be here," she admitted.
Spike freed one of his hands from hers, and touched her face. She leaned forward and surprised them both as her lips touched his lightly at first, then as the loss and despair of the last few months washed over them, the kiss deepened.
The bedroom door burst open and Buffy and Spike drew apart like scalded cats.
"Told you it was too quiet in here," said Dawn loudly.
"Dawn will you get the hell out of here!" yelled Buffy as she threw a pillow from her bed at Dawn.
Dawn retreated and shut the door.
"I swear one of these days, I am gonna kill her!" said Buffy angrily.
"Come on Buff, every one know you love the little platelet to death," grinned Spike.
"Yeah, hers or mine!" said Buffy.
TBC
Chapter 8
Buffy scanned the page of the book that Giles had just passed her. She frowned at the ancient wording; Buffy handed the book back to Giles.
"Could ya tell it to me in English please?" Buffy asked.
"How much do you know about the amulet?" asked Giles
"Only what Angel told me, something about it having cleansing abilities and giving strength to the wearer, and oh yeah, it had to be worn by someone more powerful than a human," said Buffy.
"Well, according to this volume, it was supposed to be worn only by a slayer because of it powers, it does not matter than the wearer has a 100% chance of ending up dead, because that is the destiny for most slayers anyway," said Giles.
"It seemed to work just fine on me, not being a slayer and what not," said Spike airily.
"Yes I know, but it has changed the order of things, when Anya and I went to visit the Beljoxa's eye it told us that everything had been messed up because Buffy was brought back, well she was supposed to die in the Hellmouth, not you Spike,"
"But why?" asked Buffy
"To restore the natural order of the slayer line that was altered when you were resurrected, am I talking in another language here?" asked Giles.
"But the first was defeated and most of us got out of it with our lives, so where's the bad," said Willow.
"Do you think I wanted Buffy to die, better Spike than her." trailed off Giles.
"How can you say that Giles, treat him like some disposable life form, just because he's a demon, so it was better Anya than Andrew too? These are people that fought along side us for years, and without their help this pathetic little planet would have been destroyed long ago," said Buffy angrily.
"There are always casualties in war Buffy, you are a general, you should know that by now," said Giles.
"Yes I know that, but there are also unacceptable losses too," said Buffy quietly as she looked into Spike's eyes.
He returned her look sadly.
"Spike it does not diminish your sacrifice, you did it, you got the job done, the reason any of us are still here is because of you, and some of us around here need to be displaying a little more gratitude," said Buffy looking pointedly at Giles.
Andrew was felling a little wigged out by all the tension in the room, he breathed an audible sigh of relief when the doorbell rang.
"I'll er um get that," said Andrew to himself as no one was listening to him.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Andrew opened the door.
"Hey Andrew what are you doing here, is my apartment cleaning it's self?" asked Xander.
"The others let me tag along, I wanted to see Spike, everyone else had," said Andrew touchily.
"Lighten up kid, I was only teasing you, course you're entitled to some free time, didn't think you thought of me as a slave trader," said Xander slightly offended.
He walked past Andrew and went into the lounge. Andrew looked at the open apartment door, the idea of some fresh air seemed very appealing to him right now, and he walked out the door without a backward glance.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
"Hey guys how's it going?" asked Xander
"Great, just keeps getting better and better," said Willow sarcastically.
"Spike! You're up and about, not gonna go all cuckoo on us are you?" asked Xander.
"Spike's fine Xander," said Buffy.
"Just checking, no offence," said Xander.
"None taken, well maybe a little bit," said Spike.
"So what's the 411?" asked Xander.
"The others can tell you, I'm going to my room, coming with Spike?" asked Buffy.
"Don't do anything icky in there especially on my bed," said Dawn.
"Quit while you are ahead Dawnie, I know big sis's temper," said Spike
"Do you think that's wise Buff?" asked Xander.
"Look can you all just get it in your thick skulls, Spike is still all soul having and besides I trust him so you're all gonna have to get used to the changes around here," said Buffy taking Spike's hand and leading him to her room and closing the door.
"What was all that about?" asked Xander curiously.
He sat down at the table with the others while they brought him up to speed with the events of the last few hours.
"So lets get this straight, Spike can walk in the day and Buffy should have been the one to die in the Hellmouth?" asked Xander.
"That's about the sum of it," said Willow.
"Well I can't say I'm sorry that things worked out the way they did," said Xander.
"What ever you do, don't say that in front of Buffy," warned Willow.
"Well I already pointed that fact out, it wasn't well received in certain quarters," said Giles.
"Yep for an English guy, you're certainly lacking in the tact department," grinned Willow.
"What's being English got to do with manners? Asked Giles.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Buffy sat on her bed; Spike sat in the chair in the corner and regarded her silently.
"Sorry about Dawn, sorry about all of it," sighed Buffy.
"Don't apologise for them love, it's just their way of looking out for you, besides I know the nibblet she just enjoys winding you up, and Giles well, he's just being Giles," said Spike.
"You're a lot more generous towards them than I would be in your situation, anyway lets not talk about that any more," said Buffy.
"Fine by me," said Spike.
Buffy looked at him seriously.
"Spike it's time to stop avoiding the issue, I need you to tell me where you went when you died, it could be important to what's going on with you right now," she said.
"Okay I'll tell you, but you won't bloody believe me," he said.
"Try me, I'm willing to go to go on a little faith here, I once told you I believed in you Spike, nothing has changed that opinion," said Buffy.
He smiled at her warmly, reassured by her words.
"Remember when you died?" asked Spike.
"Which time?" she joked.
"When you were dead for nearly five months," he replied.
"Yes, of course I do," Said Buffy.
"Well, I went to the same place as you, the same heavenly dimension," Spike told her.
Buffy paled.
"But that's the place where only slayers go," said Buffy.
"You don't have to tell me love, I was there," said Spike wryly.
"But why?" asked Buffy.
"It makes a lot more sense to me now, that amulet must have been forged as a slayers weapon in the same way that pretty scythe was, so the wearer presumably a slayer, when she dies instantly gets sent to the slayers dimension, only it screwed up because I got sent there instead," said Spike.
Buffy's eyes widened.
"Is that what you meant by your words 'they threw me out, they didn't want me' asked Buffy.
"Wasn't winning any popularity contests while I was there, Spike the killer of two slayers is not gonna be at the top of everyone's getting to know you list," said Spike.
"But surely your messianic act of saving the world must have cut you some slack?" asked Buffy.
"Try telling that to Nikki Wood and that Chinese bird I slayed," said Spike.
"I can imagine, although I never got to meet them while I was there," said Buffy.
"Yeah, never realised there'd been so many chosen ones," said Spike.
"Is that why they sent you back?" asked Buffy.
"That and the fact I nagged at them for about a millennia," said Spike.
Buffy smiled.
"So how did you get back here?" She asked.
"I appealed to the powers that be, told them there had been a big mistake, took awhile to get them to listen to me, but time wasn't really an issue," he said.
"Yeah, I remember, all too well, it's the lack of time that causes some of the disorientation on the journey back," said Buffy.
Buffy looked at Spike.
"Anything else I should know?" asked Buffy.
"Like what?" He asked.
"Like why you are changing," said Buffy raising an eyebrow at him.
"I can only assume it's to do with the amulet," said Spike evasively.
Buffy got up off of the bed and walked over to Spike. she got down on her knees in front of him and covered his hands with her own.
"I missed you, remember when I said I wasn't ready for you to not be here?" she asked.
"I remember, those words gave me more hope than you can imagine," he sighed at the memory.
"Well it wasn't until you were gone that I realised, I'll never be ready for you to not be here," she admitted.
Spike freed one of his hands from hers, and touched her face. She leaned forward and surprised them both as her lips touched his lightly at first, then as the loss and despair of the last few months washed over them, the kiss deepened.
The bedroom door burst open and Buffy and Spike drew apart like scalded cats.
"Told you it was too quiet in here," said Dawn loudly.
"Dawn will you get the hell out of here!" yelled Buffy as she threw a pillow from her bed at Dawn.
Dawn retreated and shut the door.
"I swear one of these days, I am gonna kill her!" said Buffy angrily.
"Come on Buff, every one know you love the little platelet to death," grinned Spike.
"Yeah, hers or mine!" said Buffy.
TBC