Chapter 2:

Three months later

Sure everything was going to be all right. What had I been thinking? If anything things are worse. Okay so not worse, but definitely not better. Buffy thought as she dusted another vampire. It had been three months of nonstop worry. And what was getting her so worried. A new big bad that just happened to be her best friend. She had caught the nerds. Well not exactly. Jonathan and Andrew had gone to jail. Warren had escaped, but was soon captured. After shooting her and killing Tara. The police had come just in time to arrest him and take his stupid ass to jail where he belonged. That was just the beginning of her problems. She thought that it would all end once she captured the nerds. That it would be over with. Boy was she mistaken.

She hadn't counted on Willow going all crazy homicidal. Grieving was apart of the cycle to recovery, but this kind of grief was just nuts. She had successfully gone of the deep end with the black magicks. She was still terrorizing the city after she had killed Warren and his gang. Buffy shivered at that memory. It was one that she wished to erase from her mind. The smell of their blood and intestines on the ground as Willow laughed and laughed in a way that Buffy didn't think was possible from the evilest villain. Let alone her nice stable Willow. Buffy had thought that it was all just a bad dream that she would eventually wake up from. Well three months had passed and there was no waking up from it. Not yet at least. Giles had come down to try and stop Willow, but he wasn't even close to being powerful enough to take down badass Wicca Willow. He had almost gotten himself killed. Everyone was trying everything they could, but they couldn't abstract Willow's powers without killing her. It seemed hopeless. Either way they lost.

Buffy picked up her weapons and looked around. She had encountered Willow a few times. It seemed that she was still trying to do good. It hadn't stopped at vampires and demons though. She was going around killing robbers and people who she considered bad. Buffy was hoping that she would one day be able to stop Willow. She had been a terror on the whole time for these past months. She had started her own little gang of people who wanted to help her. To the people of Sunnydale it might have seemed like a blessing. If she was only killing demons. Buffy just wanted out of it. Again she was wishing that she hadn't been brought back from the grave. She wished that she had been able to stay in heaven and maybe if she had then none of this would have happened. She wouldn't have to live this crappy life where the only person that ever listened to her hadn't returned from his quest.

Buffy unconsciously searched her pockets for something. She pulled out a very tattered piece of paper that looked like it had been folded over and over again. It was Spike's letter. She had carried it around with her ever since the first day that she had gotten it. For some reason whenever she felt down, which had been a lot over the months she would read it over again and it would give her some strength. The words weren't anything to ogle over, but they were simple and very powerful. The message was simply to keep fighting even though it seemed hopeless. Buffy sighed as she read it over again for the umpteenth time and started to make that journey home. It seemed that the words had lost their effect after all this time. Maybe it was because of the situation or maybe it was because it seemed like Spike was never coming back. Buffy wasn't sure which, but she really didn't feel like figuring it out. She didn't love Spike, but she needed him as a strong person to help her through the hard times. She could really use that right now.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Spike fiddled with his Zippo lighter trying to desperately light his cigarette. He was still trying to cope with having a soul. It was all very new and different. It was also terrifying, scary, nerve wracking, and unsettling. Every day he went to bed and saw memories of the past hundred years of his life. All the bad things that he did came flooding back to him. He was trying to deal with it, but it was driving him crazy. It almost hurt to think about what he had done as a vampire. As William he would never even think about unpleasant things, let alone commit them. His soul was just like that. It hit him hard. All the things that he did and all the blood that had been shed were pulling him into a dark hole.

Spike didn't know how he found himself in London, but he had just turned up there one day. He was skinny, even more pale then usual, and his hair was turning back to the brown curly mop it had been before he had dyed it. All and all he looked really sickly. He hadn't drinking blood in what seemed like forever. He was just roaming the streets of London during the day and hiding wherever he could find shelter during the day. He had thought about going back to Sunnydale every day, but thought that he needed to get himself together before he saw Buffy again. He didn't want to be crazy around her, but it seemed that everyday he was getting worse and worse. He could also feel that Buffy was in trouble.

He had had this feeling for some time now. He knew that she could handle herself, but this was a different feeling. It made Spike wonder what was wrong. He couldn't believe that he could feel Buffy's pain from this for away. He knew that he loved her, but he was in England and she was all the way in California. Spike pushed it aside as he felt another repressed memory coming forward. It was one were he killed a little girl. She couldn't be much older then Dawn and that even made him feel worse. "No no no. Get out of my head. Stop it. I don't want to remember. I'm sorry." Spike said as he pounded his head against a wall. He hated reliving these painful memories, but it was all apart of having a soul. He knew that he would just have to live with it. He had to get better or he would never see Buffy again.

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Buffy woke up at seven as usual and started to make breakfast. It was the same thing every morning. She would get up. Make breakfast and Dawn's lunch then get ready for work at the Double Meat Palace. Boring as usual, but it worked. Buffy was cooking pancakes and pouring some milk when Dawn came downstairs. "Mmmm, pancakes. So what's with the home-maker Buffy attitude?" "Nothing I always get up and make breakfast." "Yeah a bowl of cereal. For the past three months every once in awhile you'll do something like this. Is it some sort of special anniversary?" yeah the anniversary of the day he left, Buffy thought. "No, I just feel that some times I should do something special for my sister. What with Willow going crazy on Sunnydale and things still kinda crazy. I think that it's nice to have a little bit of normalcy." "Yeah I guess that I'm with you on that train of thought. So when are the pancakes going to be ready." "Just a few more flips and they'll be done. I packed your lunch already. It's over there on the counter." Dawn grabbed her lunch and put it in her backpack.

Buffy watched Dawn as she put her lunch in her backpack. Each day Dawn asked if Buffy knew anything about Spike. Buffy knew that Dawn was getting suspicious about where Spike had gone. Buffy herself wanted to know where he was. She knew that it had to be hard on Dawn. Spike and Dawn were close and it must have hurt that he left without saying goodbye. Buffy had shared the letter with Dawn, but Dawn had been so upset when she found out that Spike had left. "So are you going to the Magic Box after school?" Buffy was trying to have a nice conversation with her sister. "Yeah I still have to pay off my debt I got myself in as a klepto. Anya is freaking out because of the damage down to the shop when Willow was looking for Andrew and Jonathan." "Oh she's still paying that off?" "No, the construction people are still there fixing everything. The insurance paid for most of it." "Well that's good. I know that Anya loves that shop." "Yeah she stopped complaining about it too much. Xander and his men are working on it for half price. She gets a little money left over to buy some new things for the store." "Well that great." Buffy didn't know what else to say. She knew that Dawn was just waiting for the right time to ask her question that she asked every morning.

Dawn was waiting for the right time to ask Buffy if she knew any news about Spike. Dawn knew that it annoyed her sister to hear the question over and over again. She had to ask though. "So, did you hear any news on Spike?" "Dawn we've been through this. I told you that I would tell you if I heard anything. I haven't heard anything." "I know that I'm being a pest, but I can't help it. I miss him and I just wish that he would come home." "He said that he had something important to do. It's something that he had to do. Not because he won't be sad being away from you, but because he needed to. He deserves to be a little selfish. He has been doing good things and he needs a break like everyone else. You know to find himself." Dawn knew that Buffy was only half-talking to her and half talking to herself. "Yeah I guess you're right. It's just I never thought of Spike as a selfish person and now that he is being one I don't like it." "Well we may not like it, but we have to live with it. Now hurry up and eat your pancakes and then finish getting ready for school. Dawn nodded and started on her big stack of pancakes.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** Buffy had carelessly flipped her last hamburger and was on her way to the Magic Box. It was about eight o'clock. She would go there and talk with her friends while she gathered up weapons she would use on patrol. As Buffy walked to the Magic Box she wondered how her life had gotten so predictable and boring. Even if she was the slayer things had become dull. She entered the Magic Box through the back entrance were the training room was located. This room wasn't used that much anymore. It was under construction after Willow's attack. Buffy had been training in her basement, but she had no one to challenge her. Xander and Giles had helped her, but she really wanted to have a good sparing partner. Of course the only one she could think of was MIA.

Buffy made her way into the main room of the Magic Box. There were tarps over the open areas where the construction wasn't finished. Anya, Xander, and Giles sat at counter where the cash register was located. The round table they used to look at research was gone so they had started to use this. Books were strewn over the counter top. Buffy saw Dawn putting away a few items and dusting the remaining shelves. All of it was so humdrum. "Hey guys whats going on?" Buffy said. "Uh, nothing, Buff. We were just doing research on spells to take away Wills mojo and save the world. Going out to patrol again?" Xander asked. He had noticed that Buffy was going out more. He knew that she felt like there was nothing more that she could do. Willow was strong. Very strong. He had always known how it felt to be weaker then the bad guys. "No, I think that I will just stay here and be research gal. Need a little bit of a break." "Oh well everyone needs a break once in awhile. It you don't take a break then you'll wear yuorself out." Anya said as she looked up from the book she was reading. "Yeah my muscles are kinda telling me to take it easy tonight." "Well, Buffy you don't want to over exert yourself. I know that it is an unpleasant thought, but you must be strong if you want to face Willow." Giles said. He could see the look on Buffy's face. She looked very tired and worn out. Well beyond her age.

Buffy felt Giles's gaze on her. "Yeah I know. It's just what with everything going on I need to keep the demon population down. It would be easier to keep things in check that way." "Yes I see what you mean." Buffy knew that everyone was avoiding the fact that Spike wasn't there. They had been doing that for the past three months. "Yeah besides Buffy is doing the patrolling all by herself lately. Not to mention her job at the Double Meat Palace and trying to keep the house clean. It's tough work." Dawn said. she had always been the one to bring up Spike. Sure it was in a subtle way, but she still found a way to bring him into the conversation. "Yeah, Dawn's right. Maybe you should just go home Buffster. Take a nap or something?" "I don't know. Can you guys hang without me?" "Sure you don't want to stick around here and be researchy. These books are very big and very boring. I wouldn't subject myself to them, but I don't really have a choice." Anya said. "Okay I guess a little nap wouldn't hurt anybody. Dawn be home by ten. Giles can you give her a ride?" "Sure Buffy." "Okay well I guess I'll be on my way." "Bye."

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As soon as Buffy got home she went straight to her room and plopped down on her bed. It had really been a long three months and things didn't look like they were going to shape up any time soon. Those moths ago things had finally started to get normal. Buffy really felt like she belonged. Now it was back to distant Buffy who couldn't even talk to her friends. Sure she tried to keep up appearances, but sometimes things would slip. It wasn't like she was the only one. Everyone was very distant from the others. Xander had to have been the one most affected by Willow's turn to the dark side. He was quieter then usual and dropped by the Magic Bow to work or spend countless hours looking for a spell to change Willow into her original self. Everyone was looking for a way to bring Willow back. Even Giles, who had stated time and time again that Willow might not be the same. She had killed people and that never goes away. Buffy remembered when Faith had killed someone and how Angel had told her that Faith might never return to the Faith before. Not that that Faith was any more stable, but it was the Faith that hadn't killed anyone.

Buffy really wanted to have Willow back, but in her heart she knew that Giles had a point. Willow had killed people. She had taken at least a dozen lives and Buffy wasn't sure that there was any coming back from that. If Willow did come back from that then everyone would always wonder if they did the littlest thing wrong that Willow would turn into Evil Willow again. It was a lose-lose situation. A total Catch-22. If they didn't get Willow back, she would surely continue to kill. If they did get Willow back then that would always wonder if she would go off the deep end again. Buffy just wished that this wasn't happening to her. It would be so much easier if things were different. Of course everything would be different if things were different. Buffy started to cry on her pillow. She hadn't cried in a while and she really felt like she needed to.

While she was sobbing into her pillow she felt very strong cold arms wrap around her waist. She abruptly turned around and was staring at Spike. "Spike when did you get back?" "Does it matter, luv? All that matters is that I'm here with you." "You've been gone for a while. I was afraid that you weren't going to come back. That maybe you were dead." "No, I would never leave you. I couldn't leave you all alone and scared." Spike tightened his grip around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I'm sorry that I was gone for so long. I had some thins' to do. Jus' had to clear up some stuff s'all." "Well I'm glad that you're back. I did miss you. You've always been very strong and I need that strength." "No you don't. You're stronger then I could ever be." "I needed someone to talk to. To be friendly to me and not judge what I had to say. I needed a friend." "Well now I'm back to be that friend. So tell me what's on your mind?" "Just everything has been totally messed up these past few months. I don't know where to start." "You better hurry because the sun is coming up."

Buffy looked out of the window. It was still very dark outside and she looked at Spike with curiosity. "What are you talking about? It's still very late and why would it matter that the sun is coming up?" "Because then you have to get up and fight some more." "What are you talking about?" Spike looked at her as if it were obvious as to what he was trying to say. "I will have to go again." "Why? I though that you said that you were staying?" "I have to go and let you go. You have to stay strong though. I promise that I will be back." "No. you can't go. Not know. I need you to stay." "Buffy you have to get up in the morning and fight." "What are you talking about? Please stop being so cryptic. I really hate cryptic. It's like you're speaking in riddles." "Soon the day of the light and dark will come and the tree will sway in the breeze. Only then can things return to normal. I have to go now. They're calling me. I havta do what they say until I'm ready to come home. I will soon be with you for real. Be patient, don't let the wind carry away the savior, and remember what I said." "No Spike please don't go." Spike had already left. "Spike come back!"

Buffy woke up by Dawn shaking her. "Buffy wake up! Buffy you're having a bad dream." "Sorry Dawn did I wake you?" Buffy said in a sleep voice. "Yeah you were screaming pretty loudly. I thought that maybe it was one of those slayer dreams you get sometimes." "I'm not sure if it was or not. I mean it was sort of like one of them." "Spike was there?" "Yeah he said something and it sounded like something that would be said in one of the creepy slayer dreams, but it didn't make much sense." "Do the dreams ever make much sense at the time?" "Some times they do. I mean there was that one where I saw Angel getting killed by Drusilla. That was pretty evident with the meaning." "Yeah well what did Spike say in the dream?" "He said that in the morning I would have to fight. Then he said something about there being a day of light and dark and then the tree would sway. He said that only then would things return to normal. He also said that he would be back for real soon. Then he left saying that they were calling him and he had to do whatever they say. There was one more thing he said. I think he was telling me to protect something from the wind." "Wow that is weird and very cryptic. Do you think that it is some sort of message?" "It was to be."

Buffy grabbed a rubber band and put her hair in a ponytail. She was sweating and her hair was adding to the perspiration. "So do you think that it means Spike is really coming back soon?" "I don't know. Maybe. The dream Spike said that he had to do whatever they said until he was ready to come home. It could mean that he will be coming back to Sunnydale soon." "I hope so. Not only because I miss him, but because if there is going to some big fight then we might need him to help." "Yeah I know." Buffy noticed that it was very late and said, "Dawn I think that you should go back to sleep. It's still very late or early which ever way you want to look at it." "Okay, just don't start yelling in your sleep again, okay?" "Yeah. That might be because I don't think that I'll be able sleep after this." "I'm sure that you'll be able to sleep." Dawn kissed her sister on the forehead and stared to walk out of her room. "Sweet dreams, Dawn." "Goodnight Buffy." As soon as Dawn left the room Buffy tried to get some sleep. Her mind was filled with images of her dream.

She had seen Spike. He didn't look so good, but he still looked like Spike. He was paler then usual and his hair was all messed up with his roots showing. He looked and felt skinnier then usual. She also couldn't get the message out of her mind. He had told her to protect the savior from the wind. He had told her about a day with light and dark. It was all very puzzling. Buffy didn't know what to make of the information presented to her. It was just so confusing. She didn't even know who the savior was. It could be someone very ancient that had been described in a foreseen prophecy. It could be anyone. Buffy tried to sleep, but thoughts just kept filling her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about the fact that Spike might be coming back soon. Forget all the things that he had said, she just wanted him to come back and give her comfort. She found herself going to sleep as she thought about Spike returning at last.

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Spike's memories had finally stopped coming to him for the time being. He sat in an old abandoned building that no one would ever go near. He was trying to fall asleep, but his nerves wouldn't let him. He had already gone through a pack of cigarettes today alone and there was no way of him getting anymore. He would just have to sit and wait until night. Maybe if he tried really hard he could sleep without having a flashback of his life as a demon. He found a nice spot to curl up at and fell into a restless sleep. He welcomed any sleep though. He had been so tired and hungry. He needed to sleep to forget the hunger.

To Spike it felt like he had only been asleep for a little while before he started to dream. It wasn't a memory it was an actual dream. He was in a cemetery. From the looks of it, it was the cemetery where his crypt was. He was standing near a head stone when he saw her. Buffy. She was wearing a long white dress and was glowing like an angel. Spike unconsciously ran his fingers through his hair trying to smooth it out. He knew that he looked like a train wreck that no amount of adjusting could fix, but he always tried to look his best when he was around her. "Buffy" It was all he could manage to say because his throat was very dry from lack of nourishment. "Spike you're here. I wasn't expecting you." "Well I wasn't expecting you either, pet." Spike finally managed to find his voice. He knew that it was just a dream, but he hadn't seen Buffy's beautiful face in a long time. He longed to touch her.

"You've been gone for a long time. We were starting to get worried." "Don't worry I'll be back soon." "Yes I know. You have to help stop this." "Stop what? Has some Big Bad moved in while I've been gone?" "Yes, you have to follow me are they'll find you. They don't like vampires very much." "Who?" "The wind will come soon. Come on lets go." Spike took Buffy's hand and she led him into the forest. They went there without talking and the silence was actual refreshing to Spike. Just being in Buffy's presence gave Spike a calm feeling. "Okay we're here." "Where is here pet?" "Some place where they won't be able to find us. For now. Spike you have to come back." "I will. I jus' need some time to sort thins' out." "You don't have time. They are calling you. Can't you hear them?" "Hear who?" "It doesn't matter. If you don't return you'll miss the day of light and dark." "Buffy stop speakin' in riddles for bleeding sakes. Tell me what is going on." "You have to return to the land of the Sun. you have to help stop the end of the world. You can't miss it. It is important."

Spike thought that Buffy sounded like Dru. She was telling him that he needed to come back to Sunnydale before it was too late to stop the end of the world. "You have to help me protect the savior from the wind. The tree will sway soon, but not until you get back." "Buffy are you in danger?" "If you don't come back I will be. We will all be." "I don't know how much help I can be. Not s'actly the most stable person these days." "You are one of two champions. You have to come to Sunnydale and soon things well be revealed. If you don't then we will fail." "Okay I'll be there soon." "Good I will see you later. Don't let the wind find you. Be careful coming back home." Then Buffy left.

Spike woke up with a start. That had to be the weirdest dream he had ever had in his life. Buffy was telling him to come back to Sunnydale. To come back home as she put it. That he had to come back and stop the end of the world. Okay so help stop the end of the world. He knew that it could have just been a dream, but the words were to crypt to just be a dream. They had to have some hidden meaning. He would have to go back to Sunnydale and figure out what exactly was going on. It had to be something big if the Powers were getting him involved in it. Buffy had said that he was one of two champions. He wondered what that meant. He wondered what any of it meant. If he was really suppose to go back to Sunnydale then he would, but he was still a little nervous about it. He was still going through a period where he was hearing the voices of his victims and seeing his crimes play over and over again in his head. Would he be sane enough for this trip or would he go insane and do something bad. He remembered what it had been like the first couple of days that he had had his soul. He went around saying that he was a bad man and needed to be punished. He had even tried to kill himself. What if he wasn't stable enough to help Buffy and ended up being a burden?

Something inside of Spike was telling him that that wouldn't happen. The Powers had to have contacted him because they had faith in him even if he didn't have any in himself. He knew that it would be hard on him to be around people, but he had to do it. If Buffy and the Bit were in danger and he could help them then he had to do it. As he had said many times before he was love's bitch and he would do anything just to keep Buffy and Dawn safe. He would even protect the whelp if he was forced to. Spike decided that he would get on a cargo ship tonight and leave for the closet place to Sunnydale it could take him. From there he would find anyway to get to Buffy and help her. Spike's started to shut and he came to the conclusion that he couldn't do this tired. He had to be up to his full strength. Once he got to Sunnydale he would go to the local butcher shop and get some blood. Right now he had to sleep and be well rested for the fight that lay before him.

A/N: Hey everyone. I decided that my reviewers were right. I couldn't leave it like that with everyone guessing what would happen next. No! No! No! I had to finish it. I'm not exactly sure how long it will be so expect it to be a long saga or just a few chapters. I think that it will be a little long. Somewhere around twenty and thirty chapters. I don't know why but I can't seem to write little one chapter stories. I hope that the readers of this story don't care that it will be long. It will be long and good I promise. I'd like to thank the people who reviewed this story for telling me that I should continue with it. I also wanted to say ahead of time to everyone who reads this story and my other one that the updates might be a little long because I am writing to stories. For now it shouldn't interfere too much, but it will in the future. Please just try to be patient. Also please read and review this story. I just love to hear people's responses to my stories, even if they are bad and criticizing. It influences me to write or write better. Share any ideas you have and thank you for even taking the time to read this story. Lauren a.k.a clockstopper.