Disclaimer: Don't own the characters. They belong to an evil genius named
Joss. Although I don't know if he's evil or not.
Distribution: Go ahead. Ask first
Spoilers: None
A/N: Okay here you go. Another chappy to this wonderful story that everyone seems to love so much. Big thanks and wishes of cookies and Spike to everyone who reviewed. You guys are truly the greatest. I mean just look at all the reviews. There are five chapters and FORTY reviews. That's like eight reviews a chappy! So again big thanks. Oh and to Migya if you go my email and just haven't had a chance to answer that's cool. You can totally post this story on your site. Just give me the address so I can see where my baby's going. To PassionFish, thanks for the idea about writing alternate dimension before writing. I'll remember to do that if a chapter absolutely has to be set in both dimensions. On with the story!
Chapter 6:
Spike could feel his head pounding. Big time. He didn't remember much before he passed out. Little flashes came back to him but the bulk of his experience was a blur. One thing was for certain though. He was still in his vamp face. Spike shook his head repeatedly trying to figure out how to get rid of his demon features, but they would budge. How had it been so easy before, but now it was so hard to do.
"Hey don't hurt yourself. It's really easy to do you know."
Spike turned to see Buffy sitting in one of the chairs in his room like she was wanted in there; like she belonged in there and sitting in that chair that was next to his desk was the most normal thing in the world.
It was though. Here it definitely was. She was the one that belonged in this world and he was the outsider. The vampire that didn't really have a place so he hung around people who hated him because of some sense of whatever. This wasn't his room. The room itself looked like his, but the belongings weren't his. This bed wasn't his and that chair that Buffy sat in wasn't his.
"So you came back." Spike said looking at Buffy with his demon face.
"Yeah I guess you don't remember much after your little pouncing fest." Buffy said calmly.
She was obviously getting used to her voice being quote 'Southern California Preppy.'
"No I don't and if someone can please get into explain-y mode to tell me what the hell happened it would be greatly appreciated." Spike said.
"Maybe you might want to you know get rid of the face." Buffy said.
Spike closed his eyes and shook his head some more. After a few minutes of this with no results he stopped rubbing his temples to keep the dizziness at bay.
"It's not working." Spike said in the best whiney voice this Spike's voice would allow.
"Well that's because you're not concentrating on the task at hand. It's not like shaking of dust." Buffy said.
"Oh then what is it like oh great one." Spike asked sarcastically.
"Just close your eyes and think about not having your demon face." Buffy said.
Spike let out an over dramatic sigh and closed his eyes. He waited five minutes before saying, "Is it gone yet."
"No you're not concentrating."
"Yes I am. This is really hard. I don't know how you vampires do it. I mean you make it look so easy." Spike complained.
"Well most fledgings go awhile before learning how to change their face normally. Since you're a master vamp and were made to be a childe it shouldn't be that hard. Most minions keep their vampire faces on throughout their whole existence."
"Spare me the vampire lecture. Just tell me how to fix this." Spike said huffily.
"Geez such the baby. Always were. You should really learn to grow-up Slayer."
"Whatever just help me. Please?" Spike said.
"Well since you asked so nicely. Think about lemons." Buffy said.
"Lemons, why lemons?"
"Just do it."
"Do I have to close me eyes?"
"Probably the best to start out with."
"Okay so I'm closing my eyes and I'm thinking about lemons. Any special aspect of the lemon I'm thinking about?"
"Try remembering the sour taste they left in your mouth." Buffy said.
Spike did what he was told. For a second his nose scrunched up and his cheeks were sucked in as he remembered how sour lemons could be. Then his face changed back to normal.
"Did it work?" he asked eagerly.
"Yep, it worked. Lemon thing still works."
"Is that like a vampire trick of the trade or something you came up with on your own?" Spike asked.
"Actually Drusilla taught me that one."
"Oh." Spike said.
"Geez you're going to need someone to teach you all the vampire stuff aren't you?" Buffy said.
"Yeah I guess I am. Should be a weird experience."
"It will be. Great I never wanted a childe. That's why I never sired anyone. Now I have you to look after."
"Hey it's not like I don't know anything about vampires. I know stuff."
"Yeah how to kill them. One step out of this house and you might go into sensory overload. I don't think you want that."
"Sure whatever you say. Can we please go back to the meeting? Do you want to get back to our dimension or not."
"I do, but do you really think that's such a good idea. When you were out there you kind of went a little crazy." Buffy said.
"That was something weird. It's not going to happen again." "I don't know about that."
Spike looked at Buffy's face. She was hiding the truth from him, but she wouldn't be able to do it for that long. Her eyes always told the story.
"Something you aren't telling me?" Spike asked in a gentle voice.
"Well just that fact that it would appear. Well it would seem that things are, well there different, but something is happening. . ."
"Would you just spit it out already. For a great Big Bad master vamp you are a terrible liar." "Well Tara and I came up with an idea that maybe we're here to feel some of the pain the other is feeling." Buffy said.
"Wait I don't get it." Spike said.
"Well we're feeling some of the feelings that the Buffy and Spike from this dimension feel on a regular basis. To show us what the other is feeling. A better understanding on things I guess."
"So that feeling that I was feeling earlier was really the other Spike's feelings. He really feels that worthless." Spike asked.
"Yeah I guess he does." Buffy said.
"And if he feels that worthless then you. . ." Spike stopped himself from finishing that sentence.
"It's no big deal then. The sooner we realize what the other is feeling the sooner you can go home to your Scoobies and do all the stuff that Slayers do." Buffy said.
"So does this mean that you're going to do all the stuff that this Buffy has to do. Go to work and do all the stupid crummy stuff."
"Yeah I guess it does."
"So this is sort of like a day in the life of type of thing."
"I guess."
"Should be fun you know without actually being fun."
"Sure whatever you say."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What do think they're talking about up there?" Anya asked after it had become eerily quiet in the kitchen.
"Buffy's probably explaining to Spike what's going on. You know the whole feelings deal." Willow said.
"So there just supposed to go around feeling what the other is feeling and it's supposed to what teach them something." Xander asked.
"That would appear so. I guess we'll just have to see the results." Tara said.
"So there really is nothing we can do for them. We just have to sit and wait." Dawn said.
"Basically Dawnie. I know this is a lot to take in because Buffy's gone and everything, but some higher power saw fit to do this and they just have to see how it plays out." Tara said.
"Good." Dawn said.
"What how is this good Dawnster?" Xander asked.
"Now maybe Buffy will come back with a new appreciation for life. You know 'Hey I was pulled out of heaven, but at least I'm not a vampire.' It could serve her right. Then she'd also be able to feel all the crap Spike has to go through and take just because he loves her and wants to make right on his promises and everyone will stop treating him like crap because the all mighty leader told them it was okay." Dawn said.
"Dawn we don't deliberately treat him like crap. Okay that didn't come out like I wanted it to." Willow said.
"Sure you guys do. I try not to because I can see where he's come from, but you do treat him like an outsider. You always have. It's sad really that you treat him differently just because he's a demon." Anya said.
"Anya this isn't a demon rights discussion here. We aren't discussing being racist against demons or anything like that. We simply just don't get along with Spike." Xander said.
"Have you ever tried. Have you ever once sat down and said 'hey Spike let's go out for a beer and discuss sports.' No because you're to busy seeing only black and white to realize what you're doing." Anya said.
"The only reason he acts like this is because of the chip. If the chip was out he'd kill us all." Xander said.
"Well maybe not kill you Harris, but I'd certainly think about wounding you severely." Xander turned around to see Buffy and Spike standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
"Yeah that's the way to get accepted Buffy. Why not just tell the people that you're trying to get along with that you want to rip out their entrails." Spike said.
"Rip out there entrails. You're getting good at this."
"And that scares me. So what do we have here besides un-constructive arguing." Spike asked. "We've got a theory." Willow said.
"Okay déjà vu and not in a good way. Let's never say the phrase 'I've got a theory or anything remotely like it." Xander said.
"Yeah the musical fiasco should teach us that much." Anya said.
"Okay then there's an idea floating around that maybe just maybe some higher being did this to teach you guys a lesson." Willow said.
"So that's it. There's nothing we can do about it. Just like live with it." Spike said.
"That would about sum it up. Maybe you should stay close though. Let's not have you going back to your crypt. You can stay in the basement." Willow said.
"Ha! You have to stay in a basement." Buffy said. The group turned and looked at her oddly.
"What I can't be happy that the roles are reversed and now the precious Slayer was to stay in a basement of doom." Buffy said.
"Hey my basement wasn't that bad." Xander said.
"Sure it wasn't and pigs like to fly on little wings." Buffy said. "I can do the basement. Sure it's icky and was recently flooded and there was that one time we found that dead cat. . . do you think maybe I could sleep on the couch. Now that I think about it the basement gives me the wiggins." Spike said.
"Sure I guess you could sleep on the couch. It's not that comfortable though." Willow said.
"It's better then a cot in the basement." Spike said.
"You'll have to pull the blinds closed though. So you don't get extra crispy." Dawn said.
"That I can do." Spike said.
"Great now that that's settled can we please get some food I'm starved." Anya said.
"Food. Real food." Buffy said.
"Yup pizza or Chinese?" Dawn asked.
"Pizza definitely pizza. No maybe Chinese. Well I didn't like Chinese when I went there, but it might taste different now. They come in those neat little boxes. And there'll be taste to them. I don't know someone else choose." Buffy said.
"Geez Buff, it's a choice between two things. Not a life or death deal here." Dawn said.
"Yeah, but its food. It's real food. You know as a vampire you can't really taste the food. It doesn't give you nourishment so it's basically tasteless. Eating really food as a human. That leaves a taste in your mouth." Buffy said.
"Okay well if she's letting us decide it's pizza all around. How about two large pepperoni pizzas. Should be good." Xander said.
"Yup order away." Willow said.
"Well speaking of food and all that is nourishment I think I might need to go back to. . . my crypt and pick up a few things." Spike said.
"Sure thing." The group responded.
"Okay then I'll be on my way. Be back in a few minutes." Spike said getting ready to leave.
"What you can't just go off on you own." Buffy said.
"Are you volunteering to come with."
"Sure why not. We're just waiting for food anyways. Should take awhile." Buffy said.
"Okay then let's go." Spike said opening the door and walking out of it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy and Spike walked in silence all the way to Spike's crypt. The whole way Spike felt his skin tingling and could smell the pizza place that was at least two blocks away. Buffy was right about one thing. The extra sensory detail was giving him a headache.
"Is there away to turn off my nose?" Spike asked Buffy when they were in front of the crypt.
He could smell the heady smells of the not so great Sunnydale sewer system and that added to the crickets chirping in the distance were enough to make his head explode.
"I told you that the enhanced sense would get to you. Should have just stayed back at. . . my house. Would be safer there." Buffy said pushing open the door.
"Hey, I'm not defenseless. So what if the senses are going into overload. Nothing I can't handle." Spike said stubbornly.
"Right sure whatever you say. Wow this place is a dump." Buffy said.
"It's not that bad." Spike said feeling somewhat defensive over the dank crypt. Buffy gave him a questioning look.
"Okay so it isn't your lap of luxury crypt, but it's. . . cozy on the bottom."
"Well at least you have a TV. Albeit it is a little beat up and dumpster chic."
"Well I don't think he can put on the seductive thing and shaky his boobs all over the place." Spike mumbled. Buffy looked at him with a gleam in her eyes.
"Jealous, pet."
Spike's eyes narrowed and he snorted.
"Hardly. I don't care what you do with yourself. That's your own sordid deal. I'm going downstairs to gather some clothes. You get the blood okay." Spike said.
"Sure whatever." Buffy said as she watched Spike descend to the lower level of the crypt.
She carefully made her way to small fridge that sat atop a sarcophagus. She opened the filthy little door and stared inside. There were a few packets of blood, not in hospital tags like hers had been in, but regular butcher most likely cow blood that could come in any meat type product.
There was beer, lots and lots of beer. In the far left corner of the fridge hidden behind the beer and the blood was a few chocolate bars.
"Well at least the guy likes chocolate." Buffy muttered grabbing the remaining bags of blood and stuffing them into a bag she had enough sense to grab before leaving. If caring around several bags of cow blood wasn't suspicious then Buffy didn't know what was.
"What is up with these clothes. I mean could they scream creature of the night any louder. All black and dark colors. And these pants look like they have to be plastered on." Spike said throwing the bag of clothes to the top and climbing up the rest of the way.
"It's his look. I mean you have to think rationally now, pet, the guy is a creature of the night." Buffy said.
"Yeah, but he's all chip head-y now. He could at least change his pants to be looser." Spike complained.
"Maybe you could borrow some of Harris's clothes. I'm sure he won't mind too much." Buffy said.
"Right, Xander hates me or at least this Xander does. Am I supposed to just say 'Hey Xander listen I know you hate me, but can I borrow some less skintight pants. These ones are getting uncomfortable. Why wear something that feels like it's going to cut off your circulation."
"Because he doesn't have any circulation."
"Oh right, but still. I really hate this you know that right." Spike said.
"Yeah I caught on to that fact."
"It's just not fair. What did I do? I mean sure I haven't been myself lately, but come on. I don't deserve to be a vampire." Spike said slumping into the chair that was in front of the TV.
"Well that's the thing about higher powers. Think they can just play us like puppets all in the name of good." Buffy said.
"But you're not even good."
Buffy glanced in his direction. After all this time and he still thought she was evil.
"Right of course I'm not good. What was I bloody thinking? Let's go." Buffy said walking towards the exit.
"Hey don't get all made and sarcastic at me. I'm just stating the obvious." Spike said.
Buffy let out a sigh. It was weird to do that out of necessity rather then just because.
"You mean after all this time you still think of me as a soulless evil dead thing." Buffy said.
"Hey you're the one who's always talking about the shadows and all the stuff. The one who's always saying that you're in the dark. Telling everyone that you're the Big Bad so excuse me if I still think so to." Spike said.
"You know I don't even know why I bother. It's clear that you. . . this is precisely why I was going to leave in the first place. You know what I'm tired of arguing. It isn't getting us anywhere. Let's just focus on getting the hell out of this dimension." Buffy said.
"No." Spike said.
"No what?" Buffy said with a confused look on her face.
"No, obviously we're stuck here because we don't argue enough."
"I don't even want to know how that twisted little brain of yours came up with that one."
"Seriously Buffy. We're here to experience what the other goes through on a daily basis. Well Buffy so far all I've seen you go through is eating and feeling worthless. So tell me when does the really hard stuff start. It seems to me that all you do is sit around all day doing absolutely nothing. My life is hard Buffy. My life is complicated and full of badness. Where do you get off whining because I don't think of you as a good guy."
"I'm not. That's why I said let's just drop it. The food's probably already there and if the whelp here eats anything like the whelp in our dimension then there'll be nothing left." Buffy said.
"Yeah right this is all very easy for you right." Spike said.
"As much as it may appear that I'm making the best of this situation I'm not exactly thrilled about being human."
"Why would you be when you just love being a vampire." Spike said snidely.
"Well it's true you know. I don't exactly like being human. Sure there's the benefit of the sun, but that doesn't outweigh all the crummy things you humans have to go through on a regular basis." Buffy said.
"Oh like what?" Spike asked.
"Well for starters it's been over a century since I've had to go to the bathroom and I've already went twice today." Buffy said.
Spike couldn't help but laugh slightly at that.
"Okay now, let's get back so I can see if pizza tastes as good as I imagine it would."
"You really can't taste anything as a vampire?" Spike asked.
"Well sort of. If it's spicy then there's usually some flavor. It's all about texture for a vampire though."
"That why you eat those onion blossoms and spicy chicken wings all the time?" Spike asked.
"That and those onion thingies are amazing."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Whoa, Buffy slow down. That's like your fifth slice. The other Buffy would be upset if you make her all fat." Dawn said.
"She's too skinny anyway. Needs to gain some proper weight. I keep telling that one that, but he just doesn't listen." Buffy said pointing her thumb at Spike.
"And you'd think with all the Twinkies and Ho-Ho's he'd have gained some weight. His room is a literal pigsty." She said biting into the fifth slice of pizza.
"It's not that messy and besides I burn it off in the slaying." Spike said twirling his now cold blood with a spoon.
"Are you going to drink that or just play with it." Xander asked.
"Give me a chance to get over the ick factor will you. It's real life blood here people. Really gross." Spike said.
"You might want to warm it again. It's bound to be cold again by now." Dawn said.
"Dawn you shouldn't know blood tips like that. It's not healthy." Spike said.
"That's like twice in one day. I've been scolded by Spike twice in one day. This is going to be very weird."
"Yes, Dawn we've established that it's going to be weird. Are there any Buffalo wings left?" Anya asked.
"Yeah I think there might be two left." Willow said.
"I call dibs on one." Dawn said.
"And I claim the other one." Anya said picking up the buffalo wing and munching down on it.
Spike got up and put the blood back in the microwave for thirty seconds.
"You know if you keep re-heating it, its going to end up vaporizing it." Buffy said between bites.
"I didn't know that and I didn't want to know that, but thanks for being so thoughtful." Spike said taking the mug out after the loud ding.
"Spike you must be hungry. Just drink the blood already." Tara said.
"Yeah you can slay demons, but you can't drink some blood. It'll taste good you know. You are a vampire." Buffy said.
"Yeah, but its. . . icky." Spike said.
"Dawn's right. It is going to have to take some getting used to listening Spike talk like that. Spike just said icky." Xander said.
"Well, Xan, it is. I don't know of any other word for it." Spike said.
"Would you quit being a baby and just drink it already." Dawn said.
"You'll feel better if you drink it. You're stomach must be howling at how close to your nostrils that blood is. Trust me it won't taste bad. It tastes. . ."
"Coppery." Dawn said talking a drink of her soda.
The group turned their stares away from Spike and his blood problem to the teenager.
"What?" Dawn asked innocently.
"How do you know how blood tastes." Xander asked.
"Spike bet me to drink some one time. Easiest ten dollars I ever made. It tastes like you swallowed a whole bunch of pennies though." Dawn said.
"Okay that's. . . really gross Dawn." Willow said.
"I second that." Xander said.
"And I third it. And I'm supposed to drink something that tastes like pennies. I don't think so. I'd rather starve." Spike said.
"Do we have to force feed you Mister." Tara asked.
"That could be fun. We could all jump on him and make him drink the blood." Anya said.
"No, no that's okay. I think I'll drink it on my own." Spike said.
"Try thinking about it as hot chocolate. That should make it less hard to drink." Dawn offered.
"I don't know. Well here goes nothing." Spike said. He lifted the drink to his mouth.
The group watched as a tiny bead of blood slid it's way down the surface of the mug and into Spike's open waiting mouth. Spike lapped up the blood and actually enjoyed the taste. He quickly took the mug away from his lips and placed it on the counter.
"There see nothing to worry about. Tasted good right." Buffy said.
"It was kind of thick and soppy. Needs more. . . texture." Spike said bringing the mug up to his mouth again for more.
"Oh Spike always liked to mix in some Wheatabix in the blood. Said it gave it some texture." Dawn offered.
"Yeah and he always stole herbs from the Magic Box to give it a spicy taste." Anya said.
"Anya if you know that he's stealing herbs then why do you let him do it." Xander asked.
"Because those herbs don't sell that well anyway. I purposefully get them for him. Figure it's the least I can do." Anya said.
"I knew it. There was always a big supply of that stuff around and it's only good for binding spells. I knew you didn't need to keep it stocked up so much." Buffy said. The group looked at her weirdly.
"Sorry. Remind me to thank Anyanaka when we get back to our dimension." Buffy said to Spike.
"Yeah sure thing. Well I think it's time for you to start getting ready for bed." Spike said to Buffy.
"What I have a bed time?" Buffy asked.
"Well Buff you do have an early shift in the morning." Xander said.
"At what time?" Buffy asked.
"I believe you said it started at about seven. Maybe six-thirty." Willow said.
"You've got to be kidding me?" Buffy said.
"Nope I kid you not. Don't worry. Working for money is great. You'll fit right in as a tool of society." Anya said.
"Oh that's just great." Buffy said.
"Hey you're the one who said you could do it." Spike said smiling smugly something that had been rare on him for awhile even if this was another Spike's body.
"One of these days Slayer. One of these days when you least expect it I'll get you back for this."
"Talk on Miss Big Bad. Me, I think I'll enjoy a good day in front of the TV tomorrow. Have fun at the Doublemeat hell."
A/N: Alright so in the last chapter's A/N I lied. I said that the next two chappies after chapter five would be set in the same dimension, but I got to thinking about it and thought about just how fun Spike's reaction to a day at the Doublemeat Palace would just be so much fun to write. I mean don't you think it'd be better then Buffy's reaction. I really do think so and that is why the next chappy will be set in the other dimension where the regular Buffy and Spike are. Just thought you should know. So if you want that chapter you got to do just one little thing: REVIEW! Yes if you want the next installment then there will have to be reviews. Good day all!
Distribution: Go ahead. Ask first
Spoilers: None
A/N: Okay here you go. Another chappy to this wonderful story that everyone seems to love so much. Big thanks and wishes of cookies and Spike to everyone who reviewed. You guys are truly the greatest. I mean just look at all the reviews. There are five chapters and FORTY reviews. That's like eight reviews a chappy! So again big thanks. Oh and to Migya if you go my email and just haven't had a chance to answer that's cool. You can totally post this story on your site. Just give me the address so I can see where my baby's going. To PassionFish, thanks for the idea about writing alternate dimension before writing. I'll remember to do that if a chapter absolutely has to be set in both dimensions. On with the story!
Chapter 6:
Spike could feel his head pounding. Big time. He didn't remember much before he passed out. Little flashes came back to him but the bulk of his experience was a blur. One thing was for certain though. He was still in his vamp face. Spike shook his head repeatedly trying to figure out how to get rid of his demon features, but they would budge. How had it been so easy before, but now it was so hard to do.
"Hey don't hurt yourself. It's really easy to do you know."
Spike turned to see Buffy sitting in one of the chairs in his room like she was wanted in there; like she belonged in there and sitting in that chair that was next to his desk was the most normal thing in the world.
It was though. Here it definitely was. She was the one that belonged in this world and he was the outsider. The vampire that didn't really have a place so he hung around people who hated him because of some sense of whatever. This wasn't his room. The room itself looked like his, but the belongings weren't his. This bed wasn't his and that chair that Buffy sat in wasn't his.
"So you came back." Spike said looking at Buffy with his demon face.
"Yeah I guess you don't remember much after your little pouncing fest." Buffy said calmly.
She was obviously getting used to her voice being quote 'Southern California Preppy.'
"No I don't and if someone can please get into explain-y mode to tell me what the hell happened it would be greatly appreciated." Spike said.
"Maybe you might want to you know get rid of the face." Buffy said.
Spike closed his eyes and shook his head some more. After a few minutes of this with no results he stopped rubbing his temples to keep the dizziness at bay.
"It's not working." Spike said in the best whiney voice this Spike's voice would allow.
"Well that's because you're not concentrating on the task at hand. It's not like shaking of dust." Buffy said.
"Oh then what is it like oh great one." Spike asked sarcastically.
"Just close your eyes and think about not having your demon face." Buffy said.
Spike let out an over dramatic sigh and closed his eyes. He waited five minutes before saying, "Is it gone yet."
"No you're not concentrating."
"Yes I am. This is really hard. I don't know how you vampires do it. I mean you make it look so easy." Spike complained.
"Well most fledgings go awhile before learning how to change their face normally. Since you're a master vamp and were made to be a childe it shouldn't be that hard. Most minions keep their vampire faces on throughout their whole existence."
"Spare me the vampire lecture. Just tell me how to fix this." Spike said huffily.
"Geez such the baby. Always were. You should really learn to grow-up Slayer."
"Whatever just help me. Please?" Spike said.
"Well since you asked so nicely. Think about lemons." Buffy said.
"Lemons, why lemons?"
"Just do it."
"Do I have to close me eyes?"
"Probably the best to start out with."
"Okay so I'm closing my eyes and I'm thinking about lemons. Any special aspect of the lemon I'm thinking about?"
"Try remembering the sour taste they left in your mouth." Buffy said.
Spike did what he was told. For a second his nose scrunched up and his cheeks were sucked in as he remembered how sour lemons could be. Then his face changed back to normal.
"Did it work?" he asked eagerly.
"Yep, it worked. Lemon thing still works."
"Is that like a vampire trick of the trade or something you came up with on your own?" Spike asked.
"Actually Drusilla taught me that one."
"Oh." Spike said.
"Geez you're going to need someone to teach you all the vampire stuff aren't you?" Buffy said.
"Yeah I guess I am. Should be a weird experience."
"It will be. Great I never wanted a childe. That's why I never sired anyone. Now I have you to look after."
"Hey it's not like I don't know anything about vampires. I know stuff."
"Yeah how to kill them. One step out of this house and you might go into sensory overload. I don't think you want that."
"Sure whatever you say. Can we please go back to the meeting? Do you want to get back to our dimension or not."
"I do, but do you really think that's such a good idea. When you were out there you kind of went a little crazy." Buffy said.
"That was something weird. It's not going to happen again." "I don't know about that."
Spike looked at Buffy's face. She was hiding the truth from him, but she wouldn't be able to do it for that long. Her eyes always told the story.
"Something you aren't telling me?" Spike asked in a gentle voice.
"Well just that fact that it would appear. Well it would seem that things are, well there different, but something is happening. . ."
"Would you just spit it out already. For a great Big Bad master vamp you are a terrible liar." "Well Tara and I came up with an idea that maybe we're here to feel some of the pain the other is feeling." Buffy said.
"Wait I don't get it." Spike said.
"Well we're feeling some of the feelings that the Buffy and Spike from this dimension feel on a regular basis. To show us what the other is feeling. A better understanding on things I guess."
"So that feeling that I was feeling earlier was really the other Spike's feelings. He really feels that worthless." Spike asked.
"Yeah I guess he does." Buffy said.
"And if he feels that worthless then you. . ." Spike stopped himself from finishing that sentence.
"It's no big deal then. The sooner we realize what the other is feeling the sooner you can go home to your Scoobies and do all the stuff that Slayers do." Buffy said.
"So does this mean that you're going to do all the stuff that this Buffy has to do. Go to work and do all the stupid crummy stuff."
"Yeah I guess it does."
"So this is sort of like a day in the life of type of thing."
"I guess."
"Should be fun you know without actually being fun."
"Sure whatever you say."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"What do think they're talking about up there?" Anya asked after it had become eerily quiet in the kitchen.
"Buffy's probably explaining to Spike what's going on. You know the whole feelings deal." Willow said.
"So there just supposed to go around feeling what the other is feeling and it's supposed to what teach them something." Xander asked.
"That would appear so. I guess we'll just have to see the results." Tara said.
"So there really is nothing we can do for them. We just have to sit and wait." Dawn said.
"Basically Dawnie. I know this is a lot to take in because Buffy's gone and everything, but some higher power saw fit to do this and they just have to see how it plays out." Tara said.
"Good." Dawn said.
"What how is this good Dawnster?" Xander asked.
"Now maybe Buffy will come back with a new appreciation for life. You know 'Hey I was pulled out of heaven, but at least I'm not a vampire.' It could serve her right. Then she'd also be able to feel all the crap Spike has to go through and take just because he loves her and wants to make right on his promises and everyone will stop treating him like crap because the all mighty leader told them it was okay." Dawn said.
"Dawn we don't deliberately treat him like crap. Okay that didn't come out like I wanted it to." Willow said.
"Sure you guys do. I try not to because I can see where he's come from, but you do treat him like an outsider. You always have. It's sad really that you treat him differently just because he's a demon." Anya said.
"Anya this isn't a demon rights discussion here. We aren't discussing being racist against demons or anything like that. We simply just don't get along with Spike." Xander said.
"Have you ever tried. Have you ever once sat down and said 'hey Spike let's go out for a beer and discuss sports.' No because you're to busy seeing only black and white to realize what you're doing." Anya said.
"The only reason he acts like this is because of the chip. If the chip was out he'd kill us all." Xander said.
"Well maybe not kill you Harris, but I'd certainly think about wounding you severely." Xander turned around to see Buffy and Spike standing in the doorway of the kitchen.
"Yeah that's the way to get accepted Buffy. Why not just tell the people that you're trying to get along with that you want to rip out their entrails." Spike said.
"Rip out there entrails. You're getting good at this."
"And that scares me. So what do we have here besides un-constructive arguing." Spike asked. "We've got a theory." Willow said.
"Okay déjà vu and not in a good way. Let's never say the phrase 'I've got a theory or anything remotely like it." Xander said.
"Yeah the musical fiasco should teach us that much." Anya said.
"Okay then there's an idea floating around that maybe just maybe some higher being did this to teach you guys a lesson." Willow said.
"So that's it. There's nothing we can do about it. Just like live with it." Spike said.
"That would about sum it up. Maybe you should stay close though. Let's not have you going back to your crypt. You can stay in the basement." Willow said.
"Ha! You have to stay in a basement." Buffy said. The group turned and looked at her oddly.
"What I can't be happy that the roles are reversed and now the precious Slayer was to stay in a basement of doom." Buffy said.
"Hey my basement wasn't that bad." Xander said.
"Sure it wasn't and pigs like to fly on little wings." Buffy said. "I can do the basement. Sure it's icky and was recently flooded and there was that one time we found that dead cat. . . do you think maybe I could sleep on the couch. Now that I think about it the basement gives me the wiggins." Spike said.
"Sure I guess you could sleep on the couch. It's not that comfortable though." Willow said.
"It's better then a cot in the basement." Spike said.
"You'll have to pull the blinds closed though. So you don't get extra crispy." Dawn said.
"That I can do." Spike said.
"Great now that that's settled can we please get some food I'm starved." Anya said.
"Food. Real food." Buffy said.
"Yup pizza or Chinese?" Dawn asked.
"Pizza definitely pizza. No maybe Chinese. Well I didn't like Chinese when I went there, but it might taste different now. They come in those neat little boxes. And there'll be taste to them. I don't know someone else choose." Buffy said.
"Geez Buff, it's a choice between two things. Not a life or death deal here." Dawn said.
"Yeah, but its food. It's real food. You know as a vampire you can't really taste the food. It doesn't give you nourishment so it's basically tasteless. Eating really food as a human. That leaves a taste in your mouth." Buffy said.
"Okay well if she's letting us decide it's pizza all around. How about two large pepperoni pizzas. Should be good." Xander said.
"Yup order away." Willow said.
"Well speaking of food and all that is nourishment I think I might need to go back to. . . my crypt and pick up a few things." Spike said.
"Sure thing." The group responded.
"Okay then I'll be on my way. Be back in a few minutes." Spike said getting ready to leave.
"What you can't just go off on you own." Buffy said.
"Are you volunteering to come with."
"Sure why not. We're just waiting for food anyways. Should take awhile." Buffy said.
"Okay then let's go." Spike said opening the door and walking out of it.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Buffy and Spike walked in silence all the way to Spike's crypt. The whole way Spike felt his skin tingling and could smell the pizza place that was at least two blocks away. Buffy was right about one thing. The extra sensory detail was giving him a headache.
"Is there away to turn off my nose?" Spike asked Buffy when they were in front of the crypt.
He could smell the heady smells of the not so great Sunnydale sewer system and that added to the crickets chirping in the distance were enough to make his head explode.
"I told you that the enhanced sense would get to you. Should have just stayed back at. . . my house. Would be safer there." Buffy said pushing open the door.
"Hey, I'm not defenseless. So what if the senses are going into overload. Nothing I can't handle." Spike said stubbornly.
"Right sure whatever you say. Wow this place is a dump." Buffy said.
"It's not that bad." Spike said feeling somewhat defensive over the dank crypt. Buffy gave him a questioning look.
"Okay so it isn't your lap of luxury crypt, but it's. . . cozy on the bottom."
"Well at least you have a TV. Albeit it is a little beat up and dumpster chic."
"Well I don't think he can put on the seductive thing and shaky his boobs all over the place." Spike mumbled. Buffy looked at him with a gleam in her eyes.
"Jealous, pet."
Spike's eyes narrowed and he snorted.
"Hardly. I don't care what you do with yourself. That's your own sordid deal. I'm going downstairs to gather some clothes. You get the blood okay." Spike said.
"Sure whatever." Buffy said as she watched Spike descend to the lower level of the crypt.
She carefully made her way to small fridge that sat atop a sarcophagus. She opened the filthy little door and stared inside. There were a few packets of blood, not in hospital tags like hers had been in, but regular butcher most likely cow blood that could come in any meat type product.
There was beer, lots and lots of beer. In the far left corner of the fridge hidden behind the beer and the blood was a few chocolate bars.
"Well at least the guy likes chocolate." Buffy muttered grabbing the remaining bags of blood and stuffing them into a bag she had enough sense to grab before leaving. If caring around several bags of cow blood wasn't suspicious then Buffy didn't know what was.
"What is up with these clothes. I mean could they scream creature of the night any louder. All black and dark colors. And these pants look like they have to be plastered on." Spike said throwing the bag of clothes to the top and climbing up the rest of the way.
"It's his look. I mean you have to think rationally now, pet, the guy is a creature of the night." Buffy said.
"Yeah, but he's all chip head-y now. He could at least change his pants to be looser." Spike complained.
"Maybe you could borrow some of Harris's clothes. I'm sure he won't mind too much." Buffy said.
"Right, Xander hates me or at least this Xander does. Am I supposed to just say 'Hey Xander listen I know you hate me, but can I borrow some less skintight pants. These ones are getting uncomfortable. Why wear something that feels like it's going to cut off your circulation."
"Because he doesn't have any circulation."
"Oh right, but still. I really hate this you know that right." Spike said.
"Yeah I caught on to that fact."
"It's just not fair. What did I do? I mean sure I haven't been myself lately, but come on. I don't deserve to be a vampire." Spike said slumping into the chair that was in front of the TV.
"Well that's the thing about higher powers. Think they can just play us like puppets all in the name of good." Buffy said.
"But you're not even good."
Buffy glanced in his direction. After all this time and he still thought she was evil.
"Right of course I'm not good. What was I bloody thinking? Let's go." Buffy said walking towards the exit.
"Hey don't get all made and sarcastic at me. I'm just stating the obvious." Spike said.
Buffy let out a sigh. It was weird to do that out of necessity rather then just because.
"You mean after all this time you still think of me as a soulless evil dead thing." Buffy said.
"Hey you're the one who's always talking about the shadows and all the stuff. The one who's always saying that you're in the dark. Telling everyone that you're the Big Bad so excuse me if I still think so to." Spike said.
"You know I don't even know why I bother. It's clear that you. . . this is precisely why I was going to leave in the first place. You know what I'm tired of arguing. It isn't getting us anywhere. Let's just focus on getting the hell out of this dimension." Buffy said.
"No." Spike said.
"No what?" Buffy said with a confused look on her face.
"No, obviously we're stuck here because we don't argue enough."
"I don't even want to know how that twisted little brain of yours came up with that one."
"Seriously Buffy. We're here to experience what the other goes through on a daily basis. Well Buffy so far all I've seen you go through is eating and feeling worthless. So tell me when does the really hard stuff start. It seems to me that all you do is sit around all day doing absolutely nothing. My life is hard Buffy. My life is complicated and full of badness. Where do you get off whining because I don't think of you as a good guy."
"I'm not. That's why I said let's just drop it. The food's probably already there and if the whelp here eats anything like the whelp in our dimension then there'll be nothing left." Buffy said.
"Yeah right this is all very easy for you right." Spike said.
"As much as it may appear that I'm making the best of this situation I'm not exactly thrilled about being human."
"Why would you be when you just love being a vampire." Spike said snidely.
"Well it's true you know. I don't exactly like being human. Sure there's the benefit of the sun, but that doesn't outweigh all the crummy things you humans have to go through on a regular basis." Buffy said.
"Oh like what?" Spike asked.
"Well for starters it's been over a century since I've had to go to the bathroom and I've already went twice today." Buffy said.
Spike couldn't help but laugh slightly at that.
"Okay now, let's get back so I can see if pizza tastes as good as I imagine it would."
"You really can't taste anything as a vampire?" Spike asked.
"Well sort of. If it's spicy then there's usually some flavor. It's all about texture for a vampire though."
"That why you eat those onion blossoms and spicy chicken wings all the time?" Spike asked.
"That and those onion thingies are amazing."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Whoa, Buffy slow down. That's like your fifth slice. The other Buffy would be upset if you make her all fat." Dawn said.
"She's too skinny anyway. Needs to gain some proper weight. I keep telling that one that, but he just doesn't listen." Buffy said pointing her thumb at Spike.
"And you'd think with all the Twinkies and Ho-Ho's he'd have gained some weight. His room is a literal pigsty." She said biting into the fifth slice of pizza.
"It's not that messy and besides I burn it off in the slaying." Spike said twirling his now cold blood with a spoon.
"Are you going to drink that or just play with it." Xander asked.
"Give me a chance to get over the ick factor will you. It's real life blood here people. Really gross." Spike said.
"You might want to warm it again. It's bound to be cold again by now." Dawn said.
"Dawn you shouldn't know blood tips like that. It's not healthy." Spike said.
"That's like twice in one day. I've been scolded by Spike twice in one day. This is going to be very weird."
"Yes, Dawn we've established that it's going to be weird. Are there any Buffalo wings left?" Anya asked.
"Yeah I think there might be two left." Willow said.
"I call dibs on one." Dawn said.
"And I claim the other one." Anya said picking up the buffalo wing and munching down on it.
Spike got up and put the blood back in the microwave for thirty seconds.
"You know if you keep re-heating it, its going to end up vaporizing it." Buffy said between bites.
"I didn't know that and I didn't want to know that, but thanks for being so thoughtful." Spike said taking the mug out after the loud ding.
"Spike you must be hungry. Just drink the blood already." Tara said.
"Yeah you can slay demons, but you can't drink some blood. It'll taste good you know. You are a vampire." Buffy said.
"Yeah, but its. . . icky." Spike said.
"Dawn's right. It is going to have to take some getting used to listening Spike talk like that. Spike just said icky." Xander said.
"Well, Xan, it is. I don't know of any other word for it." Spike said.
"Would you quit being a baby and just drink it already." Dawn said.
"You'll feel better if you drink it. You're stomach must be howling at how close to your nostrils that blood is. Trust me it won't taste bad. It tastes. . ."
"Coppery." Dawn said talking a drink of her soda.
The group turned their stares away from Spike and his blood problem to the teenager.
"What?" Dawn asked innocently.
"How do you know how blood tastes." Xander asked.
"Spike bet me to drink some one time. Easiest ten dollars I ever made. It tastes like you swallowed a whole bunch of pennies though." Dawn said.
"Okay that's. . . really gross Dawn." Willow said.
"I second that." Xander said.
"And I third it. And I'm supposed to drink something that tastes like pennies. I don't think so. I'd rather starve." Spike said.
"Do we have to force feed you Mister." Tara asked.
"That could be fun. We could all jump on him and make him drink the blood." Anya said.
"No, no that's okay. I think I'll drink it on my own." Spike said.
"Try thinking about it as hot chocolate. That should make it less hard to drink." Dawn offered.
"I don't know. Well here goes nothing." Spike said. He lifted the drink to his mouth.
The group watched as a tiny bead of blood slid it's way down the surface of the mug and into Spike's open waiting mouth. Spike lapped up the blood and actually enjoyed the taste. He quickly took the mug away from his lips and placed it on the counter.
"There see nothing to worry about. Tasted good right." Buffy said.
"It was kind of thick and soppy. Needs more. . . texture." Spike said bringing the mug up to his mouth again for more.
"Oh Spike always liked to mix in some Wheatabix in the blood. Said it gave it some texture." Dawn offered.
"Yeah and he always stole herbs from the Magic Box to give it a spicy taste." Anya said.
"Anya if you know that he's stealing herbs then why do you let him do it." Xander asked.
"Because those herbs don't sell that well anyway. I purposefully get them for him. Figure it's the least I can do." Anya said.
"I knew it. There was always a big supply of that stuff around and it's only good for binding spells. I knew you didn't need to keep it stocked up so much." Buffy said. The group looked at her weirdly.
"Sorry. Remind me to thank Anyanaka when we get back to our dimension." Buffy said to Spike.
"Yeah sure thing. Well I think it's time for you to start getting ready for bed." Spike said to Buffy.
"What I have a bed time?" Buffy asked.
"Well Buff you do have an early shift in the morning." Xander said.
"At what time?" Buffy asked.
"I believe you said it started at about seven. Maybe six-thirty." Willow said.
"You've got to be kidding me?" Buffy said.
"Nope I kid you not. Don't worry. Working for money is great. You'll fit right in as a tool of society." Anya said.
"Oh that's just great." Buffy said.
"Hey you're the one who said you could do it." Spike said smiling smugly something that had been rare on him for awhile even if this was another Spike's body.
"One of these days Slayer. One of these days when you least expect it I'll get you back for this."
"Talk on Miss Big Bad. Me, I think I'll enjoy a good day in front of the TV tomorrow. Have fun at the Doublemeat hell."
A/N: Alright so in the last chapter's A/N I lied. I said that the next two chappies after chapter five would be set in the same dimension, but I got to thinking about it and thought about just how fun Spike's reaction to a day at the Doublemeat Palace would just be so much fun to write. I mean don't you think it'd be better then Buffy's reaction. I really do think so and that is why the next chappy will be set in the other dimension where the regular Buffy and Spike are. Just thought you should know. So if you want that chapter you got to do just one little thing: REVIEW! Yes if you want the next installment then there will have to be reviews. Good day all!