Chapter Seven

When Spike opened his eyes, he didn't know how much time had passed. He was more coherent then before though. He remembered a long journey, a man who he knew he had met before, and something about Buffy Summers. The slayer. He also knew that he had a soul.

He was now chained in the back of an old warehouse that looked as bad as he felt. It might even collapse on him at any moment - for which he would be grateful. He remembered how he had gotten here very well. He didn't want to be here at all of course, but the council of watchers have very persuasive means of getting what they want. Painful means as well!

"So you are with us at last," said the man before him. "I trust you remember me now?"

Spike looked at him hard for a few minutes, then he nodded. "Quentin Travers," he muttered. Quentin nodded "Precisely!"

"Now are you going to tell me where I am? Or even better how about why I'm here?" Quentin grew serious as he looked at Spike. "You are in the valley of the sun," he replied quietly. "Sunnydale," sighed Spike. "Great. Again with the why part off the question?"

"As usual, it is because of the slayer. But you are not here to destroy her - as I know you so desire to. But you're here to help her". Spike nodded in understanding. "Right, of course. I have to help her. One thing though - why do I have to do anything you say? I wasn't exactly given the greatest welcome in history now was I?"

"You will help us because of your soul," said Quentin coldly. "You are the only being in this miserable world with the information that can aid us. Because it affects you to Spike. What the slayer has done".

Spike grinned slightly. "So for once it isn't my fault that something's buggered up. Won't be long before she finds me then will it? Just what I need. She'll turn this round on me somehow mate. I guarantee it".

"So you're getting back to your old self again," said Quentin softly. "That's good. It means you will remember more information. The spell Spike. Tell me about the spell".

"So that's why the light show," Spike said. "I mean - my soul. The bloody thorn in my side that won't stop hurting. The pain and guilt I'm feeling - it's all because you want bloody information? Why not just torture me like you've done to others in the past?" then he registered what the watcher had said. "Spell? Now you lost me. I'm not a witch you know. You need Willow for that".

"No. You are the only being with this knowledge Spike. Would you like to know more? The Spell of Illusions Spike. Very old and powerful. You killed the original guardian of the spell back in the 1800's when you were turned into a vampire. She was one of you're first victims. Remember? When you killed her, the knowledge past into you".

Spike still looked blank. "You know, a vampire tends to remember his first kills. I'd remember someone like that".

Quentin looked genuinely confused. Then he sighed impatiently. "Well we have no time to waste. The slayer will get the information out of you I'm sure of it".

Spike watched angrily as the watcher turned away from him. He was right about one thing. He was getting back to his old ways. With one very big difference. This time he cared.

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It was now the next evening since they had gathered the ingredients for the locators spell. Willow had set everything up - with the curtains closed of course. After a few failed attempts - such as the power failing temporarily, the rug bursting into flames and then the flames turning into ice, they finally learned that Spike had arrived in Sunnydale. "But the spell's blocked somehow," said Willow, downcast. "I'm not powerful enough to break through to see the exact location".

Buffy nodded. "You tried your best Willow. That's all anybody could expect. I guess I'll go on a general sweep of the town. They'll probably be somewhere deserted - I know I'm looking for a needle in a hay stack but I have to try".

"Hey Buffy - you're little fight with the vamps last night's made the headlines again!" said Xander. "This just keeps getting more disturbing," added Oz as he watched Buffy fighting on the TV. "You said it," agreed Buffy, standing up. "Be careful ok honey?" said Joyce, giving her daughter a hug. "I'm always careful," said Buffy. "I'm just saying…." her voice trailed off at Buffy's look.

"Ok, you guys don't have to be so concerned about me all the time. I'm really, honestly, totally completely fine!"

They all glanced at each other. "Ok," said Xander. "It's just, you keep saying you're fine. All the time. It's starting to sound kind of fake".

"What would you know about it anyway?" snapped Buffy. "How could you possibly help me? Lets say I'm not fine. Lets say I'm falling apart. I can't sleep. I keep seeing all those people who died on graduation in my dreams. I keep thinking how close we all came to our deaths. I keep seeing Angel walk away from me and I keep feeling sick that I now have to depend on the thing I hate most in the world? What could you possibly do about any of it?"

With that she left her friends in a stunned silence as she walked out the door.

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Just when Spike thought that he would die of complete boredom, something happened that shocked him more then anything else. He felt his chains being unlocked. "What's going on?" he murmured in wonder.

"We're letting you go Spike," said Quentin. "We're going to let you find the slayer. She has to learn from her mistakes. And if that means hard solutions to her problems so be it. It's the way things have always been with the council. And things are about to get a lot worse before they get any better".

"So what exactly is this mistake you keep mentioning". They stared at each other coldly. "The whole world knows about everything," Quentin finally revealed. Spike stared at him in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"

Quentin shook his head. "I'm afraid not. So you see why we have to make this as hard as possible?"

Spike shook his head. "No, not really. You've cursed me with a soul. You've told her about it. You've told her I'm in sunnydale. And now you're letting me go and tell her everything?"

Quentin nodded. "Yes. You'll find out soon enough why this is the most painful lesson both of you will ever learn. You think I don't know what's coming? Think I haven't read the signs? I know more then you might think, and I know that this is all going according to the plan. I'll get the spell, and things will go back to the way they were. Buffy will learn her lessons. And in the process, so will you".

"No. I don't get it. It doesn't make sense if you go giving her the answers she needs on a silver plate". said Spike in confusion.

"It will make sense in the end. This is a test Spike. Not just for her but for you. Why do you think you gained the knowledge from that witch and not Drusilla, Darla or Angel? Because fate intervened. Fate knew you were meant for this moment. You were chosen for this task Spike."

"And what task is that?" he asked. "Coz I'm getting a headache with all this cryptic talk. Let's get this straight. You're here to teach Buffy a lesson about revealing her secret. You're teaching her said lesson by cursing me with a soul because I'm the only one with a spell she needs - even though I can't remember the damn spell. You're letting me go so I can find her to tell her I'm the one with what she's looking for although she knows this already. Some lesson this is supposed to be…." then he finally got it. "Me. I'm the test. She has to work with me. It's the perfect punishment isn't it? Working with someone who embodies everything she hates in the world?"

Travers chuckled slightly. "Ok. Maybe it hasn't got anything to do with fate. Maybe it's just luck was on my side! If she can work with you Spike, she can get through anything. She will truly have become a great slayer!"

TBC

Hope that wasn't to confusing! It is three in the morning as I'm writing this so I'm hoping I'm making sense!! Plus I've given up smoking - one week and counting - so my concentration seems to have left the country! As usual, thanks for the reviews - any reviews is a good thing.