Wolfram walked over to the desk opposite Buffy & Spike and placed the wooden box on it. Spike turned to look at Buffy to see if she had any idea as to what was going on, but she had the same puzzled look on her face has he had on his. Her eyes were filled with worry. If she lost him she didn't know if she could live with herself. If only he had left her when she had told him to he would be out of here and away from the danger she knew they were both in.

'Now,' Wolfram said as he leaned casually against the desk.

'I'm pretty sure your both thinking the same thing.' he laughed, well...actually I know you're both thinking the same thing.'

'You're both thinking that if the situation arises, you're going to sacrifice yourself for the other, am I right?'

Buffy and Spike exchanged worried glances, both knowing that he was right

'Of course I'm right. Now the question is, which one of you is actually going to sacrifice yourself'

Spike stepped forward. 'How would I know she'd be safe'

'Spike, no!' Buffy stepped forward completely forgetting the force shield and was thrown back as she cried out in pain. Spike spun round to see Buffy on the floor clutching her face.

'Buffy' he cried

'I'm fine, I'm fine' she said confidently as she got to her feet, and crinkled her nose trying to get the feeling back. 'God that hurt' She breathed. 'Now you stay there and shut up' She told Spike.

'Oh I don't think so luv. Now where was I, oh yeah, how would I know Buffy would be safe.'

'We always stick to our agreements, especially if the contract is signed in...' Wolfram reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. '...blood'

'Please Spike, don't do this.' Buffy started to cry, 'I can't lose you. Please.' Spike hated more than anything to see her cry. Every time she did he just wanted to throw himself on a stake or walk outside during the middle of the day. But if he had to choose between seeing her tears or her lifeless body, he would chose the tears in a heart beat, if his heart beat that was.

'I have to love. I'm sorry.' He turned back to Wolfram. 'Lets see this contract then' Spike told Wolfram.

Wolfram balled his fist in front of him and opened it, palm facing upwards. A ball of fire, no bigger than a tennis ball erupted from his hand and a piece of parchment took its place. Wolfram placed it on the desk.

'So what am I singing for, other than Buffy's freedom?. You obviously want something from me' Spike asked Wolfram.

'Well, you may not know this but, earlier today Angel signed away his part in the Shanshu prophecy. He is now no longer a contender for the vampire with a soul. If you sign this contract the slayer will be protected and sent home. You on the other hand will not be so fortunate. You will unfortunately have to sacrifice your life. Well not unfortunately for us, maybe for you and your lover.' Wolfram sneered.

Spike couldn't believe this. Angel had signed away the shanshu prophecy just to make the circle of the black thorn believe he was one of them, even though he wasn't. Ever since he was re-souled, Angel had been fighting save the world and repent for his sins. Now all that was meaningless.

If he signed this contract, then he would die and this time, not be turned into a creature of the night. If he didn't sign it then Buffy would die. He turned to look at Buffy, she was crying so hard. He loved her too much to let her die.

Spike turned back to Wolfram. 'Where do I sign?' As he went to take the pen from him, Wolfram slammed the tip into his left hand that was resting on the table. Spike groaned in agony as he felt some of his blood being taken into the pen. Wolfram snatched the pen back out of Spike's hand as he gritted his teeth against the pain. Wolfram handed it to him. Tears were streaming down Buffy's eyes as Spike took it from him and put pen to paper to sign his destiny, his unlife, his love away.

As soon as the pen left the page, he was grabbed around the shoulders by something so powerful even his vampire strength couldn't contend against it. As he looked down they seemed to be plant like creepers. He was pulled backwards and slammed up against the wall. He looked up at Buffy as one grabbed him around the neck.

'I believe I held up my end of the bargain.' Spike told Wolfram.

'Yes, I guess so, and we are a man of our word. The slayer will be returned to her home and kept safe.' Wolfram replied.

'NO!' Buffy screamed. 'I'll do anything, please, just let him go!'

'You may say goodbye' Wolfram said, as he waved his hand and the shield surrounding Buffy was dropped. She ran over to Spike. She tried desperately to pull the creeper things away from him but he stopped her. 'Buffy, don't' he pleaded. He used one free had to stop her, placing it in front of her. She took his hand in hers and interlaced her fingers with his. The scene exactly as it had been that day in the hellmouth, apart form the fact that their interlocking hands were not surrounded by flames.

'I love you' She told him. She knew those 3 little words meant more to him than any long speech about her love that she could give him.

'I know you do. I love you too. Everything about you, Your eyes, your smile...' he touched each part as he spoke it. 'Your lips' he breathed as she leant up and placed her lips to his and kissed him softly. He opened his mouth and stroked her tongue with his. This last kiss conveying all their feelings for each other. Tear were filling Spike's eyes as he broke the kiss and stared into her eyes. 'God...' he choked 'I love you so much.' He breathed out a strangled breath.

Suddenly the world started to fade in a whirl of colours. The last thing she saw of her lover were his deep blue eyes conveying a last message of love to her.

She cried out his name, as she fell through the vortex of colours and found herself lying on her bed, in her room, in Rome.

'SPIKE!' she screamed as she leapt from her bed and opened her door. She ran through it towards her front door, not even acknowledging that Xander, Willow and Giles were the new additions to the household besides Dawn and Andrew. They had gotten the first flight to Rome when they had heard the news about how Buffy had gone to L.A to see Spike now that she knew he was alive.

When they had heard her scream out Spike's name Giles had leapt 3 feet off the couch, Xander had fallen off the couch and Willow had seemed the least shocked out of everyone. She had sensed a presence in the next room that had gotten there by magical means.

As she flew past them Willow asked her what was wrong. 'What, how what? Buffy's in L.A, not here. She's a demon impersonating Buffy.' Xander babbled. 'No she's not' Willow said simply. 'Its her, she got there by teleportation. I felt her presence forming in the room.'

As Buffy reached the door she grabbed the door handle, swung the door open and just as she tried to step over the threshold between her apartment and the hall she was thrown back as if she were a vampire trying to get into an humans house uninvited. Xander went to catch her as she fell, but she ignored him and jumped up again and threw herself at the door again. Once more she was thrown back, but got up again, but instead of running at the door she hammered at the invisible barrier with her fists.

'Spike' she whimpered in-between sobs, as she sunk to the floor realising that she wasn't going to be able to get through it. Willow and Xander both walked over to her and knelt before her.

'Buffy, what happened' Willow asked.

'I...I told him not to, but he wouldn't listen. God, I hate him.' She burst into floods of tears then, as she realised she was never going to see him again. 'No I don't,' she breathed in a shaky, tear filled breath 'I love him. I love him so much, and he...now he's gone' She couldn't control her tears. Xander held her as she cried into his shoulder.

Dawn spoke up for the first time since Buffy's reappearance in their apartment. 'Where's Spike gone Buffy?' She didn't want to push her sister, but she had to know what had happened in L.A. Her sister had left to get on a plane to see the man she loved, and had thought was dead, and was now here again crying her eyes out.

Buffy looked up with red, puffy, tear filled eyes. She tried to get her tears under control to tell her what had happened, after all Spike was like a brother to Dawn. He had looked after her when Buffy had died, had undergone horrendous torture to protected Dawn's identity as the Key from Glory and had always protected her with his life. 'I found him and...and I got taken, and now...now Wolfram have made him sacrifice himself for me. I...I can't live without him.'

She broke down crying again. She was exhausted and Xander picked her up in his arms and carried her to her room and lay her on her bed where her crying softened a she fell to sleep. Xander stayed with his friend as Willow tried to work at removing the barrier preventing them from leaving the house.