Disclaimer: There's no use, I don't own them and never will

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The helicopter chewed up the landscape, spinning over the open ground. Willow kept her eyes on the bright glowing lights suspended in her hands.

"Sunset soon." Said Giles. "It'll be up, if it isn't already. We've lost our element of surprise." There was a glum look on his face.

"We're closing." Said Willow.

The pilot looked back. "There's a building up ahead, there." He pointed quickly.

Buffy pressed a hand to her headset. "What?" She yelled over the sound of the rotors.

He pointed again, and she looked forward.

A large barn stood alone in the middle of the open landscape. She nodded firmly, and he headed for it.

"Great." Said Giles, glancing at the glowing lights in Willow's hand. "It looks like this it."

Giles grasped the crossbow between his knees. "Buffy!" He yelled. She turned, facing him. "Most of our references say that this Traitor walked out of hell. This might indicate a weakness in his legs."

"Or maybe his upper body!" Added Willow quickly.

"Yes!" Agreed Giles.

Buffy stared at them. "So he might have a weakness somewhere, but you're not sure?" She yelled

Giles and Willow exchanged another glance as the helicopter set down, and shrugged.

The pilot shut the rotor down, grabbed a rifle, and ducked out of the helicopter.

Buffy followed, the Witch and the Watcher close behind. She touched the back of her neck, rubbing it. "Vampires." She said.

"Vampires?" Said Giles, surprised. "P-perhaps minions, or ... or the Traitor might be a vampire. It's, it's happened before."

"I wish we had some backup." Muttered Buffy. "Demon Ascension in Africa—how does that top a demon breaking out of hell in our backyard?"

Buffy approached the door to the barn, kicking it open. "All right, keep your fangs where I can see them." She warned.

"Bloody hell." Moaned a far-too familiar voice.

Buffy froze.

Willow, behind her, let out a squeak.

"Oh, dear." Said Giles, surprised.

Spike clamored to his feet when he realized who it was, his eyes widening. He quickly stuffed his hands in his pockets, assuming a dark look. "Shoulda known I couldn't get five minutes of rest without you lot showing up." He sighed.

Anya struggled to her feet. "It's Buffy!" She said. "And she has stakes!" She added, stepping behind Spike. "Spike, she has stakes. And Giles has a crossbow. Um, Spike, did we have a plan?"

"Nope." He said simply.

"Shut up." Said Buffy. "Spike was a good vampire, and I won't see him made a mockery of this way." She stepped forward. "I saw dead bodies. I watched them go. I know what that means, you don't have to spell it out for me."

"Actually, I may have to." Growled Anya. She had gone to game-face. "Spike, make them go away. I'm hungry!" There was something about the desperate way she said she was hungry that caused Buffy to blink.

Willow stepped forward. "No." She said. "This isn't right. Spike died, he had a soul, and he died saving the world. A Champion. Anya too!" She shook her head. "Why would they be back as demons?"

"Red," said Spike, spreading his arms pleadingly. "Let's not fight now. Let's be calm, and talk this out. I'm sure we can work this out like reasonable—no!!" He grabbed Anya as she started forward, her eyes glowing yellow. "Um, yeah. Heh heh." He looked at the hard faces staring back at him. "Um, I don't suppose you lot have any pig's blood handy, eh?"

"What?" Asked Buffy.

"Pig's blood. It's been too long since she fed. She's going feral! Berserk!" He snapped at Buffy.

Buffy shook her head, her mind reeling. "So you ran off when the Hellmouth closed. Turned Anya. And this is the thanks I get for letting you play at hero, Spike!"

"Bloody. . ." He took Anya into a half nelson. "Look, if you're not going to feed her out of your wrist, then get her some pig's blood!" He spat the words at Buffy.

Willow shook her head. "No, Buffy! Don't you see? These two are the ones who escaped from hell! They died and went to hell, and now they're back!"

Buffy absorbed it slowly. This really was Spike. The real Spike. He'd gone to ehll, and then come back. "Spike?" She said, hesitantly.

"I told you, once." Growled Spike. "I quite like earth. Couldn't stand hell."

"Right." Laughed Buffy, glancing at Anya. "And why was she in hell? Why were you in hell?" She shook her head. "Why would you go to hell? Why would Anya? It doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know." Growled Spike. "I don't have any idea. Not a single clue." He held Anya in the half nelson, but loosely now, as she had stopped struggling. "Can we continue this conversation over a hot mug of blood?"

Buffy stared.

She couldn't believe it. She couldn't believe any part of it. It was wild, and insane.

And besides that, it hurt.

She focused on the question of whether this was really Spike or not. "Tell me something only Spike would know." She said finally.

His eyebrows went up, and she suddenly remembered all the things only Spike would know that she didn't want Giles too hear. She managed to hold down a blush, but waited.

"I thought I had run away and turned Anya?" He asked with a slow drawl.

She flushed, unable to help it. "Okay, that was a gut reaction. And obviously wrong." She said. "Okay, you broke out of hell. All right, let's talk about your soul."

"Soul?" He thought about it for a minute. "No, I sorta lost that a while back. Sorry."

And Buffy's entire world fell apart with those words.

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A/N: Here it is, a rant! A rant! Yes, a rant! Do you know what I'm sick of? Stories that turn Xander into Superman and beat up Spike, OR, stories that turn Spike into Superman and beat up Xander. Why must so many hate one to love the other? Why can only slashficcers let them both be...themselves? sigh