Author's Note: This chapter is for Jenny. She reads all my stuff no matter what, and every Wednesday night there is always email from her about Angel. I don't know what I'd do without her. She keeps me writing, and well she's the only one I can spaz out over Angel stuff to. So Jenny, this one's for you. And girl, this chapter is thanks to you being there in a writing crises. So do you wanna be like Jenny? Do you want chapter dedicated to you with much kudos and praise and worship? Well it's simple silly, REVIEW. Are you a writer? Everyone who reviews also gets their favorites and stories checked out by yours truely, cos I read as much as I write around here. So unlike some folks who strictly do the writing thing, I do both, if you wanna get read, review me. Also check out my favorite stories and writers if you are looking for more awesome Buffy and Angel stories. There are some great writers out there, and we should all support each other cos it's not like we're making money off of this! Thanks!

It was like a flash, and then everything was different. I was standing in Willy's bar. At the far end of the bar was Spike, looking miserable. There was a near empty bottle of whiskey in front of him. I could only predict he had consumed the majority of it. Warren was no place to be seen, which meant Anya hadn't screwed this up. At least she's good at her vengeance gig. I walked down, as I did, I didn't let my eyes stray from him. Half-way there something flashed in his eyes, he looked startled, but then continued drinking.

"It's like vu jade." He said as I walked up.

"Don't you mean deja vu?"

"Tomatoe, Tomahto. What you want slayer? Can't you see a man's drownin' his sorrows here?"

"I'm sorry, Spike."

"She's sorry! Well 'in't brilliant! You know, I don't have to put up with this, it's just some scheme to get Spike flat on his back and handcuffed to a bed. I'm not falling for it this time sweetheart. Go ahead Goldilocks kick my ass, but you will have to knock me unconscious to get m' pants off!"

"What? Eww. God no Spike, I'm not here to have sex with you, but I think half the bar is willing to take you up on the offer."

"Willy! More blood, and some whiskey too. You want somethin' slayer? I'm buyin' and you know how cheap I am."

"Buffy and alchohol are non-mixy things, so no thanks."

"Hiya Buffy." Willy tentatively addressed me.

"Hey Willy."

"I didn't do nothin' I don't know nothin'" Willy was always defensive.

"I'm here to see Spike, don't freak."

"Want something to drink? On the house for not breaking down the door"

"Does everyone want me drunk? A world of no. But thanks." Willy set down Spike's things and walked away.

"What do you want slayer?" Spike's words were starting to slurr together. No wonder Warren had no trouble grabbing him.

"I want to take you home. I think it's time for you to go home Spike, you're trashed for one, and it'll be dawn soon, don't need you catching a nasty case of dust."

"Why'd you care? Thought I was an evil soulless disgusting thing."

"You are now, but once sobered up you lose the disgusting clause."

"Fuck off blondie, can take care of m'self" He tried to swat at me, but lost his balance and fell off the barstool. "What? Why'm I on the floor? Where's my bottle?"

I leaned down, passed him the bottle of whiskey. "You can have that if I can take you home."

"Is that an offer? Knew you had it bad for me Summers."

"Sure Spike, it's an offer. Whatever, get up."

"Can't, legs no work."

I picked him up and put his arm over my shoulder. "Come on, let's get out of here." He was not helping himself move, "God you're like a dead weight."

"Ha, that's cos I'm dead princess, don't you forget it. Grr.. I'm tha big bad." He said it into my neck and I could feel the words vibrating off of my flesh. I wondered for a second what it would be like to let him bite me. I wonder if I could feel that. I probably shouldn't open up to that idea because knowing Spike he won't be able to control himself, and pretty soon it'd be bye bye Buffy.

"Yeah, the big bad drunk, come on." As I dragged him out, I saw Warren walk in. I wanted to stop and knock his block off, but I couldn't risk him grabbing up Spike again. That would have made my wish useless, and somehow had me flashing back to the hour that would never end at the Magic Box. It was a bad idea.

"Hey Slayer." Warren remarked in that overly superior tone of his.

"Warren, what no robot date?"

"Funny. You're a funny girl."

"Hairy, you're a hairy man."

"I'm not here to start any trouble. Just getting my drink on."

"What, they don't let you in the Bronze anymore? Not since you sexually harassed half the girls and beat up many of the guys? I mean I've been the cause of many a remodel over there and they still let me in. Oh, wait, I forgot they instituted a no losers policy didn't they?"

"Laugh all you want slayer, but you're going to get what you deserve. Now excuse me, but I have a date with a vodka martini." Warren hadn't even looked twice at Spike. He probably knew I would kick his ass into next week if he tried to grab him now. Go Buffy! Your wish just came true.

I dragged Spike back to my house. He passed out long before that. His crypt was too far away, and dawn was way too fast aproaching. He looked so peaceful, so dead when he was asleep, which I know I should expect but it still seems wierd. I put him in my bedroom, my shades are thicker than the ones in the living room. I peeked in Willow's room to see Tara fast asleep in her arms. Well, it was nice to know that someone's relationship was going to work out. Dawn was asleep too. I put Spike in my bed, taking his shirt off, but going nowhere near his pants. I didn't want to have to explain that one in the morning. His chest was so perfect, pale, but muscular in a swimmer's body sort of way. I'll admit it, I had to reach out and touch him. But that doesn't make me a bad person. I just rescued him from Warren, so running my hand down his chest was no big. I grabbed a pillow and blanket off my bed, and settled onto the floor. I laughed as I remembered the first night Angel had spent the night here, sleeping on my floor. Strange how times change but some things sorta remain the same.

It was somehow easier to fall asleep knowing he was safe. Knowing he was so close that if I cried out in the night, he would be the first one to comfort me. It made me feel safer. I laid there looking up at him, and once I was settled I reached up and touched his hand, "Goodnight William." I let go if it, and sank back down, falling asleep more quickly than I had in weeks.

This is not my crypt. For one, it's too light, for two it reeks of Buffy. My head is absolutely pounding. For someone who's blood doesn't pump, I sure am capable of one bad assed hangover. The clock next to the bed says it's 1:30, I'm predicting that it's the afternoon because of the heat I feel radiating from the window. The ticking noise is enough to drive me mad. Thanks to the booze it feels like every tick it slowly severing my spinal cord, which is not a pleasant feeling.

My shirt is over there on the chair. And for a second I think perhaps I got lucky the night before. Maybe Buffy had finally come to her senses, but I quickly realize the other half of the bed has not been slept in. That and the fact that I nearly trip over her getting out of bed. She's all bundled up on the floor, sound asleep. I remembered I had a pint of blood in the freezer, but in order to get there I had to go downstairs. Dawn's room was empty, as was the witches room, the scent of sex dripping from everything in it. Well it was nice to know someone had a good night, someone who wasn't Dawn. If her room ever smelled like that I would hunt the bastard down and, do what exactly? Hire a friend to kill him? Bugger.

After finishing off a pint of the good old pigs blood, I realized I was trapped. My blanket was at the crypt, and the flimsy excuse for an afghan in this house would reduce me to ashtray filler in seconds. It was prime opportunity to get caught up on my stories, on a tellie which wasn't half static. I really need to save up and get me one of them dishes with the 250 channels, then I'd never have to leave my crypt. The afternoon wore on and the slayer was still asleep. No wonder she could barely afford the mortgage when she slept as much as she did.

I was dosing off when I heard the back door creak open. It was too early for the bit to be home, and both witches I assumed were still out frolicking and the like. Right, a perfect opportunity to save Buffy's ass once again. I grabbed a baseball bat out of her weapons chest. Nothin like the classics when it comes to knock 'em out fun. I waited for whatever it was to come through the kitchen and into the living area.

"Hey, Buff..." I knocked the wanker out before I realized what happened. It was Xander, of course it was bloody Xander! Now I had it coming. She was going to stake me, no doubt about it. He was on the ground moaning. "Jesus Spike, if I had a bat I'd greet you the same." He sat up and got his barings. "Wait, what are you doing here? Are you hurting Buffy? Where is Dawn?"

"Dawn's at school, Buffy's still asleep. She dragged me out of the bar last night and dumped me here."

"She didn't dump you close enough to the sun if you asked me." Xander slowly walked towards the staircase, and even more slowly climbed them. God how it must suck to be mortal. I heard a rustling, and then the accusation. Of course I just knocked Xander on the head with the baseball bat on purpose, of course cos I got nothing better to do than ruin his life. Buffy came down the stairs first with the wanker following close behind, he went and slumped down on the couch. Buffy brought out an ice pack for his head.

"Spike, what's going on here?" She's got her hands on her hips, and that irritated tone in her voice. How sick does it make me if I think she's really hot when she's pissed at me?

"I thought he was an intruder. I was watchin' my stories when I heard the back door open."

"So you thought instead of seeing who it was you would just Louisville Slugger their ass?"

"Well, yeah." Made sense to me.

"How have you survived this long? I can't even believe it... Wait. A. Minute. You hit Xander."

"Yes."

"On purpose?"

"Well I didn't know it was him, but even if I had, yes."

"Oh, no! Oh, no you don't!" Xander got up and backed away, Buffy stooding between us.

"What pet? It's not like I can kill him without getting a migraine so big even excederine can't take it away."

"When you hit Xander, I didn't hear you yell out."

I thought about it. When I hit him I didn't feel the surge of pain, I felt, I felt damn near exquisite. "Well, I.."

"What did you do?" Xander yelled at him, "What did you do you vampire freak? If that chip is gone, you are so dust man, you are so dust. Even if Buffy won't do it, don't think that I won't!"

"You and what army, Boy?"

"Guys! Stop it, both of you. Well Spike, we know the chip doesn't work on me. Maybe you thought you were gonna hit me and that's why it didn't fire?"

"Yeah love, thought I was gonna hit you in the kitchen while you were still asleep upstairs." God she's dense sometimes. The sarcasm is dirpping off my words, and she doesn't get it.

"Hit Xander, and mean it."

"With pleasure." A smile creeped to my lips, this was going to be fun.

"Um No! I object! Let's not give the evil undead a license to kill!"

"But Xander, what if it was just a fluke?"

"Still I don't feel like breaking my nose to test that theory!"

"How about a slap? No breaking of anything?" Buffy asked him.

"Come on Buffy, a slap is so harmless. I wanna do some damage on this altar skipping wuss."

"Oh yeah? Try me, dead boy!" Xander pushed Buffy aside and hit me. Not that it hurt, it did piss me off, so I did what any self respecting vampire would do, I slapped his face so hard I thought his neck would snap.

"Ow! Damnit Spike, that stings!" Xander put his hand up to his face, shaking is head. But in my head. There's no pain. There. Is. No. Pain. No headache, no brain splitting agony, nothing. This is marvelous, this is better than Christmas, this is a new lease on my unlife!

"Shit, Shit, Shit." Buffy said with a look of confusion on her face."What happened Spike? Do you remember anything?"

"What like brain surgery? I'm pretty sure I wouldn't 'ave been out drinking last night had I just had my skull cracked open."

"But I mean, there has to be a reasonable explanation here. Xander, did Anya turn you into a demon?"

"What? No! I mean I don't think so, I'm pretty sure I would feel different right?"

"It was worth a shot." Buffy flopped down on the couch looking absolutely puzzled.

"Buff, I'm thinkin' this is pretty simple. Spike has chip, Spike we no kill, Spike lose chip, Spike get staked."

"Leave it to you and your cave-boy-logic to sum things up as such." Xander really isn't as obnoxious as I would like him to be. We've even seen eye to eye once in a while, but his overwhelming need to kill me realy is doing nothing to get me on his good side.

"We've got to find someone else for Spike to hit, someone else who the chip would normally fire on."

"Sorry, but as much fun as it may be smacking your pals about, I really don't have a beef with the niblet or the witches. We could go look for innocent bystanders, those are always the best."

"Ew! No. No innocent bystanders. Well, anyways we have to tie you up until we know what's wrong. We'll have Willow look at your chip when she gets home."

"Where's the cavalry? Cos now that I've got my rocks back, I really doubt it'll be all that easy to chain me up."

"Oh really?" Buffy laughed as she punched me square in the nose, I laughed too, until things went black...