Title: The Next Mission

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Notes: Set a day after Oz faced Cerberus. Written by WayWard Childe, Edited by Hieiko.

Interlude: One Life

The fluorescent light illuminated the blank white room.

Oz hated hospitals; the blank sterile unfriendliness of it all left no feeling or warmth, just cold. Of course he never had a problem with hospitals before, not until he'd seen Willow laying down on a hospital bed in a coma. His dislike was later reinforced by the Initiative when he became Test Subject A.

After that he could never bring himself to come to one, never really needed to, with his healing and all. But now he's forced to be in one, trapped by an aching body and even more painful memories. But right now Oz wasn't thinking about Willow. He hadn't done that for a long time; no, other things are on his mind.

Images of teeth and claws surround him, a battle he never could have expected to fight. And words, unexpected words ring in his mind over and over.

I saw a war that the world won't be able to ignore. The words echoed

through Oz's mind.

I saw blood red rivers, and mangled bodies that should have been a long time dead, crying for someone to save them or kill them, just to do something to make it stop. The images played behind his eyes, images of what was to come.

The most confusing words of all, were ones that haunted him and tore away everything he knew of his destiny.

I need to walk with champions.

I need you to be a champion.

"I'm not supposed to be a champion, am I?" Oz tried to piece together his life, looking for the puzzle pieces that say champion; he wasn't having much luck. Oz was a Scooby and not even really one of those. He wasn't a real Scooby; he was just a part of the demon lover Auxiliary division.

So how in the world did the boyfriend of a sidekick get the destiny of a champion? What did I ever do to be a champion?

"A lot more then you think." A familiar British voice startled Oz out of his reverie.

Oz coughed a little, "Did I say that out loud?"

Spike smirked. "Among other things. Demon Lover Auxiliary Division?" The vampire questioned with a raised eyebrow.

Oz only gave a small smile and shrugged.

"You've done a lot more then you think, pup."

Oz slowly shook his head, "I'm not exactly Champion material."

Spike smiled, "Said the same thing 'bout myself. Yet here I am saving puppies and Christmas."

"Not the same thing. What have I ever done to be a champion?"

Spike took on a look of concentration and then said, "Didn't you and the May Queen try to save your better halves, or I guess in Cordelia's case, worse half, from me?"

Oz shook his head again. "Not really the same thing, people do lots of crazy things for love. Trying to save your girlfriend isn't champion material."

"There're a lot of people out there that wouldn't try to save their girlfriends, when they're facing a battle too big for 'em."

Oz shrugged the notion off. "Still doesn't make me a champion."

Spike conceded, "You're right, it doesn't. But it's a beginning, yeah?"

Oz only stayed silent as he pondered the words. Spike had his arms crossed over his chest looking out the room's open door. Spike finally gave a sigh.

"Can you get up, mutt? I got to show you something, something you need to see."

"No, too sore to move."

Spike rolled his eyes, "Stop being a baby, and get up."

Pausing for a second, Spike looked out the door again. "Wait a tick."

He looked back at Oz. "Be right back." Spike rushed out of the room and returned a few moments later with a wheelchair. "Alright, get in the chair."

"But I'm sore." Oz replied in his usual monotone voice.

Spike looked at Oz incredulously, "What are you? A little girl? Get in the chair; I got something very important to show you."

Oz had a slight look of annoyance and fatigue in his eyes as slid out of bed and got into the chair. Once Oz settled into the chair, Spike pushed him out of the room and down the hall. They moved in silence, with Oz constantly wondering where he was being taken and why it was so important.

When Spike finally stopped it was outside the window of a room. The room was a regular hospital room, with two people curled into each other's arms sleeping off to the side. On the bed was a sleeping little girl, no more than four years old.

"Who is she?" Oz whispered.

"She was in that car that the Cerberus was slashing through. Her parents were in a store while the car was being attacked. I guess they thought they'd be in and out, no harm to leave their bit in the car."

Spike gave a humorless chuckle. "They haven't left her side since."

Spike bent down and spoke low so the rest of the hospital wouldn't hear him. "That girl is alive because of you. Because of you she'll see the sunrise tomorrow, she'll grow up and have kids. That was her death, you understand? There's no way she would have survived that creature. You gave her a chance at life."

Oz shook his head, "No, it still doesn't make me a champion. You saved the world, I just saved one life."

Spike shook his head. "You see, if there's anything I learned from Buffy and Angel, it's one life. One life that makes the difference, one life is just as important as the world. You're right, I did save the world, but no matter how much I told Angel I was a champion, I never felt like one. I never felt like one 'til I saved Fred's life, just her life. I gave up what I thought at the time, my only chance to be corporeal. And I gladly gave it up because I knew how wrong it was for her to be the one to die. Oz, I never felt like a champion until I gave up everything, for one life."

Oz silently stared at the sleeping girl, never blinking, never speaking.

The sun started to peek through the windows, and an orange glow illuminated the slumbering girl's face. The girl slightly stirred, then blinked, and opened her eyes. She stared right at Oz.

Oz still had scratches on his face, and a few deep cuts. The girl looked at him oddly for a second, before a memory flashed over her eyes. She was in the car and the bad dog was trying to get her. But then Mr. Wolf Man saved her, and Mr. Wolf Man had the same scratches, the same cuts on his face.

A smile spread on her innocent face, and as she looked at Oz, she quietly whispered, "Thank you, Mr. Wolf Man. Thank you for saving my life."

The words were quiet but his hearing picked them up just the same. Oz was stunned and could only nod to the little girl. Spike took that as his cue and began to roll Oz back to his room.

Once Oz was back in his room, he just sat in the chair facing the window, facing the rising sun.

Spike stood against the now closed door, off in his own world thinking about Fred. The only thing that brought him back was the smell of salt.

Spike curiously looked over to Oz, to see him silently weeping.

Oz was just staring out the window with tears flowing down his cheeks.

All he could think was "I did that. I saved that girl's life."

There was nothing more beautiful to Oz in that moment, than the memory of the smile on the girl's face.

TBC…

BAKAMAN: Well the "Order Of Aurelius" is Spike and Drusilla's bloodline. It goes all the way to the originator whose name was Aurelius a vampire from the 12th century. If memory serves correct the symbol for the Order was a moon and some stars. So the big question is, why is the symbol not a moon and stars in the story but an A surrounded by golden thorns. Who is that lady and why is she the leader and not Drusilla or Spike, supposedly the oldest members of that bloodline. And ask yourself this, why is WayWard Childe not going to tell you now? I'm evil, that's why. But I will tell you this, the answers will be reveled in my trilogy of chapters revolving around the immortal and his ass kicking, which is only three chapters away from beginning, maybe two chapters away. It such a nice surprise that I can't ruin it by telling.

JonnyG: Low self-esteem thats how but trust me people saying wow about my fics making that self esteem rise. As for who Spike is going to end up with? Well I can't say now although I'm 90 percent sure I know who it will be. I promise to reveal it before it happens so you can prepare.

Devilus: Thanks I liked the fight too. Yes Drusilla will get her sanity back, I even have an interesting way that it will happen. Basically don't expect her sanity to come from an instant spell, there will be a whole chapter devoted to gaining her sanity. I'll try to work the Adam thing, I've already come up with an plot idea of bringing him back and making him good, we'll have to see if I use it.

Thank you DarkLegacies and Squirly4Spike for your words. The kind words currently coming from the two writers writing my two favorite WIP stories makes me feel like I'm doing something right.

I'd like to thank Hieiko for proofreading my stories. It's come to my attention that maybe I'm putting to much work on Hieiko's shoulders. Although I would like for Hieiko to remain my primary proofreader for "The Next Mission" I think I'm in need of a secondary. So any proofreaders who would like to lighten the load for Hieiko and help edit my chapters for this story, please email me.

Thank you all and please keep reading.