Rome a future

Buffy and her daughter stopped by a pet store after she had taken a dog into their family who had been left alone by their unfortune owners. She bought feed bowls, a bag of puppy chow, some chew toys and a collar with a leash, both of which were attached to the dog while still in the store. "Quiet, Jack," Buffy ordered and smiled embarrassing at the attendant as he swept him in a 'bath' of sonic waves to kill fleas, ticks and other parasitic pests.

She watched him with an intrigued eye. "You sure that that works? With all the sounds and all?" She asked in Italian.

The man smiled at her and nodded.

"Mommy?"

"Yes, dear?" she asked as she watched the attendant being busy with the dog.

"Daddy says he wants a cat."

She turned her head to her and smiled warmly. "I know, sweety. But mommy wants a dog." She sighed. "And 2.5 kids playing with their dad in the garden," she softly muttered.

Suddenly the door opened and a man rushed in with a cloth over him - smoke coming from it. "Bloody hell."

"Daddy."

They hugged him. Buffy stepped back as she wrinckled her nose. "You smell. Ewww."

Spike sniffed at himself. He frowned, but quickly smiled. "Oh, its nothing, luv. It's gone in a minute, just some burned skin. Nothing to worry 'bout."

Buffy looked at him up and down, her eyes having the mixture of guilt and sadness, but quickly changed in a smile before she hugged him again. They loved each other, but there were problems.

***

LA

"Spike?" The young woman looked at her friend who seemed out of the world with his thoughts as he continued to stare in front of him.

"Spike?" The bleeched vampire suddenly turned his eyes towards her. "Spike, its everything alright?"

He stared at her for a few second before he spoke on his usual calm tone. "Oh, yes. Couldn't be better, luv. I had a sweet dream."

Fred smiled. "You were talking about, uhm, X-Xander?"

"Huh?"

"Y-you talking, me l-listening?"

Spike smile widened. "Oh yes, quiet right, luv. As I was saying, that son of a-. No, that's not nice. I'm a better man now. Lets say that he doesn't like me." He paused. "Anya. Do you know Anya?"

"Uh, no?"

"No? Well, depends on the boyfriend you get, but she could come quiet in handy when you-" He paused. Fred looked completely puzzled. "Oh, bugger it, you're not that type of girl. Forget it. Anya was Xander's girlfriend. She died as a true hero.

Fred looked sad.

Spike nodded. "Yes, I tell ya luv. I've never seen quiet the couple like those two. And I've seen some in my life, ya know? Buffy and myself included."

*****

Central Africa, same time

"Uhm, I really do remember Giles saying that there was a cave here . . . somewhere," Xander muttered as he and Faith arrived in the middle of a desert. "I can only see sand."

Xander noticed how Faith grinned at him. "What?"

"You still want me to go back?"

Xander narrowed his eye. "Let me guess . . . Slayer thing?"

Faith smirked. "Totally."

"Is that why I'm your Watcher? 'Cause I still don't get why you're not in LA with your broody friend and Wes."

"Yep."

"Oh boy, why couldn't Giles give me another Slayer?"

"Because you need an experienced one."

"Was that what he said? 'Cause than I so need to-"

"Relax, pal. It was Fang who asked me to be your Watcher."

Xander's eye widened fully. "What?"

"The gang doesn't trust him anymore." The Dark Slayer pointed her finger at him. "And you're number one on that list. I'm gonna keep an eye on ya."

"I thank you. So, you talked to Deadboy while I clearly remembered how Giles convinced you not too."

"And that stopped me . . . since when?" At his look she continued. "Look, pal. He's my best friend. I owe him."

"He's running an evil empire."

Fait stepped out of the jeep and shut the door behind her. "And ya side up with bleech boy-" She turned to gaze him. "I peeked when you wrote the letter. Why did you mention Anya's death?"

Faith swallowed and looked worried as Xander didn't react immediately. Her heart ached as she saw how he instead looked out over the dead desert. His eye showed his loneliness as he stood there like a pirot watching over the ocean seeking out for his love. After a long akward moment he sighed deeply and spoke again as he faced her. "Damnit, Faith! We are talking about the life of an innocent child. Spike barely trusts me. Last what Bleechboy would need to think is that I'm here with you, Faith. Do you think for second that he would believe me then??"

The Dark Slayer shrugged. "Guess not."

Xander looked frustrated. "I need to be straigth with him. I need his trust. And he did trust Anya."

***

Rome same time

"Buffy? Buffy?"

Buffy's eyes flash open and she looked straigth in the concerned eyes of her sister. "Buffy, are you okay?" She slowly nodded, her face all confused. "Buffy, what happened?"

The blond Slayer looked around, still confused before paying attention to Dawn again. "I-I don'[t know. I had a dream. It was-" She was lost for words.

"It was what?"

"It was . . . It was wonderful. It was a happy dream, Dawn . . ." She smiled brightly. "It was a happy dream." She spoke the words, but somewhere in her heart she felt something was wrong. It was the life of being a Slayer.

***

LA Somewhere else at the same time

The local air chilled a few degrees and a small line of light appeared against the darkness in the alley. It grew slowly into a rectangular form in the size of a door. The right side of the shape thickened as it in fact appeared to be a door which was opening. Sunny light and chirping sounds of birds penetrated the dark and quiet alley as a figure walked through. He was wearing a long black coat, black jeans and boots. Reflection of the light showed his blond hair. He looked back and then forwards again. The stranger sniffed the fresh air and an evil grin appeared on his face. "Bummer, I love the sun . . ." He morphed out. "Oh, well as long as I can party."

*****

Fred smiled sadly. "Really? Were they a happy couple?"

Spike thought for a few moments. "They looked happy to me . . . In the end she died for him."

Fred's eyes watered. "That's wonderful. What was s-she like?"

"One of the most amazing women I've ever had the pleasure to have met. She had this unique view on the world. She was completely honest. She was sweet and smart. Good looking too. Very dedicated to her work and her boyfriend. She had this total devotion. There she was this frightened little girl suddenly coming into a strange new world." He looked up and swallowed out of respect and then he looked back at Fred. "She had risked her life for years in the good fight and at the very same time she tried to adjust into the human world - only out of luv for Xander. It was inspirational. I could talk to her, ya know. She understood what I was going through. My old demon ways, my guilt for my past crimes and my luv for Buffy. And on the day before her dream with Xander could begin she sacrificed her life." He sighed. For that nitwit. "Oh, she was not perfect; she had her flaws too, ya know." He flashed her a grin. "Sometimes she was completely bloody nuts."

He paused as he moved his hand in his pocket to get his sigarettes. He looked Fred straigth in the eyes and went completely serious. "Don't get me wrong, I totally and completely luv and adore Buffy. But, where Buffy is my light, she was my friend."

He took out another smoke and brought it to his lips, his hand covering the light. "Oh, yeah, Anya was the best."

*******

Thanks for all the great feedback so far. Next part I will write a list of nominations for the name.