Disclaimer: Buffy the Vampire Slayer is a wonderful show that is in no part due to me. I like the show, but I don't claim rights to it or wish to violate those rights for whoever possesses them.

Author note: Thanks to NotAnExit1 and OldWound for your recent reviews, you're the reason that I have the energy to update. Also thanks to all of my other faithful readers. Enjoy! -Grace

My meeting with the council is less than an hour away and surprisingly enough I don't think I'm freaking out too badly. It took me nearly two hours to dress today, knowing that I would be sitting in front of a panel of highly suspicious council members today drove my attire from what would have otherwise been comfortable, to finally, a tweed suit. I'm so glad Giles isn't here, I would never live it down and probably would be the talk of my friends for a good while. Me in my tweed suit going to the council for a vampire's soul.

The Limos late and that seems to be making me only more jittery because I find myself once again, pacing from the front door of the hotel to the front desk. Things will be fine, things are fine, a couple hours and I'm on my way home. If only that were all there is to it, but I have a sneaking suspicion that it's not. Firstly, I have absolutely no clue as to what this little ritual is going to entail, secondly, the fact that I didn't wait to hear Spikes reply to my I love you before hanging up is driving me insane. God Buffy, couldn't you have at least waited for some sort of response? Okay, so totally disregard the earlier comment about me not freaking out too badly, I am a mass of frayed nerves right now, and the fact that Winston the Limo driver is late is just another log on the fire.

Maybe I made the wrong decision coming to London right away when there were so many other things happening in Sunnydale. Sure, I thought that this was the right thing to do, but now I'm starting to wonder. I haven't heard a single thing regarding the upcoming prophecy and that is starting to bother me a little bit, the fact that my friends could be fighting a truly terrible adversary as I sit here. I was selfish to think I could get it all done within a week. Well, a week and a half, but same difference.

"Oh thank god!" I shout out loud as I see the shiny black car pulling into the parking lot.

Finally, time to go, check the clock once again, for what has to be the four hundredth time in ten minutes. 9:32, okay, will be there by ten, no reason to worry, settle down Buffy. Well, I guess I finally I figured out why I was feeling so rambunctious these past couple days, the meeting with the council must have been on my mind even before I know it was going to happen. Winston curtly apologizes for his tardiness and ushers me into the car. Minutes later we're back on the expressway in the direction that we had come from yesterday. God it's hot, I swear this is the last time I'll ever wear tweed in my life.

"Have you spoken to the Council this morning Winston?" I ask him, longing for some sort of conversation to keep my mind off of what is about to occur.

"Yes Miss Summers, they were awaiting your arrival, and seemed quite excited about getting this ritual through with."

"What?" I stop dead in my tracks "They told you that they were going to do the ritual? How.How did they even know what I was here for?"

"They have their ways I am sure."

"Yes." I reply slightly confused "I'm sure they do. Did they happen to stipulate the requirements for me obtaining his soul?"

"No Miss, I'm sorry they did not. I'm sure that director Travers will inform you of their needs when you arrive."

Well, this either just got a whole lot easier or a whole lot harder; I'm not sure which. I wonder how they could have possibly known what I was coming for, and more importantly, I wonder if they will ask for anything in return? I could always try to play the old "I'm the Vampire Slayer Card" and pressure them into doing it with the knowledge of an upcoming prophecy. Maybe they won't even want anything in return. Sure, likely that is, this is the Council, since when haven't they asked for anything in return? I just hope that it isn't too big of a request, and I hope that at least I'll be able to do whatever they ask of me. Well, I smile at the thought I Spike and I together, they're going to do the ritual, I'm going to have Spikes soul, and I'm going to have Spike.

The drive was rather short considering we're already stopping and as Winston opens the door I look up at the incredibly large glass building in front of me. Can anyone say overly dramatic? The building must be at least 75 floors tall, because from my standpoint, it seems like it goes on forever. Winston is kind enough to lead me to the door before turning back to the car, and eventually, driving away. I watch the car as it fades into the distance before I finally pull open one of the doors and step into the foyer.

"May I help you?" A small voice from the side of the room questions and I turn to address what seems to be a security officer.

"Uh, yes. I'm.I mean.my name is Buffy Summers, I believe I am expected at ten." Why doesn't anything I say ever sound normal?

"Yes Miss Summers, I'll ring through to let them know you're here."

The guard lifts the phone to his ear, announcing my arrival to whomever it is that is listening on the other end. I smile at him as he talks, more of a nervous reflex than anything else, and try to reassure myself once again that it's almost over and that in a matter of hours I'll be out of here on my way back to Sunnydale. Back to my friends, back to Giles, and now, more than ever, back to Spike; My Spike. Also back to the impending prophecy that I have yet to diffuse. The guard catches my attention with a nod and points in the direction of a steel wall.

"Um, excuse me, but I think that you're a little confused, there are stairs over there, but uh, sir, that's a wall."

He just smiles and points once again and this time, when I look, the wall is gone, replaced instead by a long bright hallway. Hmm, that's interesting, one minute there's a wall, the next minute there's a corridor. As I step through the space where the wall should have been I turn to wave back at the security guard, thanking him for his patience and his help. Suddenly the wall slides up from the floor back up into place, who would have ever known that there was a secret wall there. Very ingenious and kind of scary, I wonder what else this place hides that I don't know about.

I'm met by a small framed woman in a pink pant suit half way down the hall and she directs me to a room on the left. She seems kind enough, although I don't think I've ever seen her before, and I hope that maybe she'll be the one that leads me through this whole ritual process.

"Director Travers is waiting for you along with the rest of the board, good luck."

"But what about you?" I ask quickly before she closes the door, "aren't you coming in?"

"I'm just a secretary Miss Summers, I have no right to be in there."

One the door is closed behind me I am forced to turn and face the thirteen faces staring back at me. I take a deep breath before starting forward. I recognize Quentin right away and say my hellos to those few that I do know.

"Buffy, how wonderful to see you again." Quentin speaks up and I cringe. Just the sound of that mans voice gives me the willies. "Please, have a seat."

I gently sit down in the giant leather chair at the end of the table, trying to look as professional as possible although in my head I can only laugh at my feeble attempts to do so.

"So lets get right to the chase shall we?"

I can only nod, my throat suddenly very dry.

"We have decided to give you William the Bloody's soul, there is however one condition."

"And that would be?" I manage to squeak out

"We have discovered that you are romantically interested in Spike. Now, we all know what happened when you and Angelus were together."

Shit, I can see what's coming; they're going to give me Spikes soul as long as I don't get involved with him. This certainly isn't turning out as well as it should have. What am I going to do now? I can't say that I'll stay away from him. I can't promise them that to get his soul. I just nod as he talks, hoping that he isn't going to say what I think he's going to say.

"We will give you Spike's soul, and we will not keep you from being involved with him romantically even though we do not agree with it as long as you agree to this one thing."

If they don't really have a problem dating Spike then what else could it possibly be? My mind is completely blank as I glance around the room at all of the faces assembled there. Right now I just feel so uncomfortable I wish I were anywhere but here. Just tell me already so we can get it over with. Tell me so I can get all of this over with and go home. Without even realizing it I let out a loud sigh, was I really holding my breath that long?

"Okay, lay it on me"

"If William the Bloody regresses, if he starts killing humans again, if he goes back to his old ways for any reason, you will end his un-life. That is our condition."

"That's it?" I ask them suspicious about if there isn't more to come of their little condition.

"That's it." One of the board members that I don't know speaks up "will you accept?"

"Yes." I say immediately, not having to think about what they are requesting of me. Spike will never go back to his old ways; I won't let him. And he'll never think that he needs to. Immediately everyone is smiling and I wonder why. What's going on that I don't know about?

"Then lets continue shall we?"

I nod.

"First there are a couple of guidelines that you need to know about this particular ritual. One, you will be given Spike's soul in two pieces, one piece shall be attached to your own soul, the second half will be kept here."

From his jacket pocket is produced a small wooden box and he slides it across the table to me. I look up at him and he nods his approval that I open it. Inside I find a beautiful gold ring with a small amber colored stone set in it. The ring is engraved and I hold it up to the light slightly so that I can read the words.

'Never be released' I read silently to myself. Okay, well, at least it makes some sense. "What is else should I know?"

"If there is ever a time when you need to reattach Spikes soul to his body, you will need both parts of his soul. If you loose this ring, you loose part of his soul and it cannot be restored. This is it Buffy, you're dealing with very serious issues now. Are you prepared to hold another soul within yourself? There is no going back if you decide William is not the one you want to be with. Once his soul is combined with yours, there is no way to get rid of it unless you cast it back into him. Are you truly prepared to do this?"

"I have a question. I won't feel anything right? I won't be any different with his soul attached to me will I?"

"No, you'll be exactly the same."

"Good. Is that it?"

I hate to admit it, but I'd have to say that I'm a little bit nervous, with all of these people looking at me, waiting for the ritual to begin. What the hell did I do? Not doubting my relationship with Spike, just wondering why I needed to do this right now, why I couldn't have waited.

"Yes, if you're ready we will proceed with the ritual now. This type of spell will drain you of most of your strength, you will be taken care of over the next twenty-four hours however, and you probably won't wake up until that time is over with."

"Why does it take so long?"

"When the spell is performed you will need to use all of your energy just to keep yourself alive Buffy. The moment Spikes soul is transferred into you, you will feel everything he has ever felt, you will see everything he has ever seen, you will be everywhere he has ever been, you will remember everything he has ever done. Of course this is only temporary and once you awaken you will remember nothing of it, but it will take awhile before the soul settles into its new home. Twenty-four hours is usually enough to get over the initial shock, and to regain your strength. It may even be sooner considering that you've got advanced healing powers because you're a Slayer."

The candles have been lit around the circle; the flames throwing interesting shadows on the wall that seem oh so familiar. I'm seated at the center of the circle holding the golden ring in my hand, not having the guts yet to put in on my finger. My eyes are closed and I'm holding a vision of Spike in my mind's eye. He's smiling, something that he rarely does except for me and I smile thinking that maybe wherever he is right now he'll feel it and smile in return. I'm feeling very content at the moment, barely even aware of the twelve chanting board members all around me. I feel warm and cozy as if I'm lying in bed on a slow Sunday morning, or better yet, lying in bed with the covers wrapped tightly around both Spike and I. I feel all tingly like my whole body has fallen asleep but doesn't ache like it does when only your leg or your foot has fallen asleep.

Spike's motioning for me to follow him into his crypt and I follow him obediently, hoping that this time, there will be no fighting, no harsh words, just his body wrapped around mine, sweet words whispered to each other, lips upon lips. I close the door; and turn, hoping to see him close enough that I can just reach out and touch him but he is nowhere. I can hear the faint chanting off in the distance; barely even there and my eyes are drawn to a leather bound book sitting on top of the refrigerator. Amazingly I pull it down without even getting a chair to reach it, it's old, but familiar and I almost hate to look at it. It's part of my past that I don't want to remember but I for some reason or other flip open the creased cover and that's when the memories come flooding through as I crumple to the floor.