Chapter Five

"Smoke And Mirrors"

Spike held the cigarette between his lips, letting it bob as he walked. The cemetery was empty. He really couldn't figure out why. Maybe all the vamps had turned tail and run once they realized that Sunnyhell was about to become Ubervamp fodder. With an inward shrug he walked on, hand in his jacket pocket. He honestly didn't care about that now. Fighting was just another blur in his unlife. Punching things used to give him such satisfaction. Now it just made things more complicated. Required maneuvers. Maneuvers that, apparently, he didn't have.

He thought back to Drusilla…no, wait, back to the first pretending to be Drusilla. He smiled slightly, realizing how sad it was that he could tell the difference. If it was Dru, she would have tortured him herself. Instead, he was beaten half to unholy hell by the Turok Han of the underworld.

And through his memory, he felt another surface…

I"You faced the demon inside and you fought back. You risked everything to be a better man… and you can be. I believe in you, Spike."I/

He took in another lungful of smoke. But no matter how many he smoked, the memories, the thoughts…none of it could go away. And there was always that nagging question…Why?

Did it nag at everyone?

Why this, why that. Why did she save me? Why did I believe she would? Why?

Another lungful of smoke.

"You want to be alone, or is there room for two?" asked a familiar voice. Spike wrinkled his brow and turned to come face to face with her. Beautiful hair. Perfect little smile. He even smelled the magic rising off of her in plumes.

"Tara?" he breathed, taking her in. His eyes narrowed at a sudden realization. It hit him like a ton of bricks, knocking the cigarette to the ground. He balled his fists and stood tall. Not this time. This time he would fight.

"What's wrong? Willow told me how—"

"Don't." Spike spat, taking a step forward. Tara smiled. "I told you once before, luv. I'm no one's puppet. Least wise yours. No more smoke n' mirrors."

Tara smiled sweetly and advanced, reaching out to take his arm. Spike knew she couldn't touch him, but he backed away anyway.

"Oh, Spike, you don't know do you?"

Spike narrowed his eyes, questioningly. Tara laughed, eyes flashing in the moonlight.

"You're going to lose." She whispered before winking out of existence. Spike drew himself up again, looking around curiously. Worried? Oh, yeah. Just a little. The First new where he was…

Spike checked his thought and laughed. Of course The First knew. Where else was he going to go?

"Spike?" a voice asked from behind him. He whirled around, game face raised, only to stare into Buffy's worried gaze. He cocked his head and let the demon fall away. She narrowed her eyes.

"Sorry, luv. Bit…skittish." He sighed, looking around, eyes darting here and there.

"Skittish? Of what? I haven't seen anything all night." Buffy followed his gaze, sighing and cocking her hips in bordem.

"Yeah…" Spike sighed as well. "Me neither. Looks like the demon population took the hint. Got the bloody hell outa town."

Suddenly, on his left, he saw Tara step out from behind a mosoleum, smiled perched on her lips. Spike squinted, drawing Buffy's attention to the spot.

"Spike? What is it?"

Tara stepped up to him, putting her finger up to his lips, hovering over them. "Shh…I told you, Spike. You lose."

And then the song began to play. Somewhere in the back of his mind he felt it playing. Faintly at first, then louder until it filled his ears. His demon roared in rage. He watched as his vision blurred and Buffy grew faint.

"Oh, god…" he breathed. Buffy became nervous, stepping back as the demon emerged onto his face.

"Spike? What's wrong?" she asked, pulling a stake from her belt. But his reply came in the form of a feral growl and he took no time leaping at her throat.

"Oh, Spike. How could you use a poor maiden so?" Tara asked, fading away into the night.