Chapter 18

Buffy and Spike were kissing on the bed in her room when Spike pulled away to let her breathe. "I still can't believe you're here." He told her and she smiled at him.

"Yeah, I could say the same about you." Spike cupped her cheek.

"You're staying here, right?" Buffy looked into his eyes and nodded.

"I'm not going anywhere." She said and Spike smiled and kissed her again. They were holding hands as they went downstairs later that night. Angel was starting to get used to seeing them together, but he still didn't have to like it. He noticed that his son was hanging around more lately and he had a feeling it had something to do with Dawn. Harmony saw Spike and Buffy together and rolled her eyes as she got back to what she was doing. Buffy left his side to talk with Dawn because they haven't really talked since she got there and Buffy felt that she needed to talk to her sister. Angel was talking with Spike and trying to get along with him. He kept his eyes on Buffy though because he was worried about her. He then noticed that her eyes seemed to close and that a grimace was on her face. Angel knew that look. He ran to her side and caught her as a vision went through her head. She grabbed her skull and screamed until the pain went away. Spike then came to her side as the vision stopped.

"Is she okay?" Spike asked and Angel looked at him and then back at Buffy. Dawn just stood there with a worried expression on her face.

"Buffy, what did you see?" Angel asked her. Buffy kept her eyes closed and put her face in her hands. When she raised her head again to look at them they noticed tears in her eyes.

"It's too late." She whispered as she looked at the concerned faces around her. "There was a girl. She was torn apart by a demon. I could feel what she was going through. God, she was so scared." Buffy said as the tears fell down her face. "She's already gone. Why would they send me a vision too late? How was I supposed to help her?" Buffy said as she put her head back in her hands. Angel helped her up and wrapped his arm around her to keep her from falling.

"Come on; let's get you something to drink." He said as he walked her toward his office. Spike turned to look at Dawn who was quiet the whole time.

"Dawn, could you find some aspirin around here?" Dawn just nodded and did as he said while Spike followed Buffy and Angel. He was really starting to worry about Buffy. He wondered if this was just too much for her. He walked into Angel's office to see Buffy sitting down with a glass of water in her hands which were shaking. Spike went to her side and brushed the hair out of her face. She looked too pale for his liking. Buffy then raised her eyes and looked at Angel.

"How did Cordelia handle this?" She asked.

"She didn't really, the visions almost killed her." He explained.

"Thanks, that really helps." Buffy replied.

"I mean that the visions were really hard for her, but she managed them and so will you. You're strong, Buffy. They wouldn't have chosen you for this if they didn't think you could handle it." Buffy groaned and put her head back in her hands. Spike wrapped his arms around her and she turned and rested her head on his chest. He held her and kissed the top of her head. Angel was watching them when Dawn walked in with a bottle of aspirin. She saw her sister with Spike and handed the bottle to Angel so he could give it to Buffy. He took it from her. "Thanks," he told her and Dawn nodded. She then walked over to her sister and also wrapped her arms around her. Spike held on to Dawn also. It has been a while since the three of them have been together. Angel couldn't believe how much they looked like a family. It made him think about when he, Cordelia, and Connor were like a family. He really missed that.