Summary: What if Buffy had gone with Angel into that hell dimension on the finale of Season2? My first fan fiction, I think this would be considered AU.

Disclaimers: Mutant Enemy and Joss Whedon own it all. This just all just for entertainments sake, I hope.

Dialog that is in italicized bold is taken from "The Zeppo" episode 3/13. Written by Dan Vebber

Xander held Cordelia close to him. "I don't know Cor, I think you should try and get out of town for a few days. At least until this thing blows over. I couldn't stand it if anything happened to you." He kissed her forehead.

"And why would I leave if you aren't? It's not like they can't handle it without you Xander. Come with me."

"I can't. Okay, maybe I don't have all the brainy, spell-y stuff like Giles and Willow and I certainly don't have the super strength, but I have to be here. Just in case."

"If you do, so do I. I may need to save your butt. And I really like that butt. So, we're in this together"

"Fine, but you'll have a very big ax, the biggest I can find in this place. There must be a ton of 'em. And hiding, much hiding." Cordelia smiled and kissed him, for luck and for love.

Angel, Buffy and Spike had arrived at Willie's and found the place had been trashed almost beyond repair and Willie wasn't in much better shape. He told them all he could before cough spasms hit him, forcing blood out of his mouth.

Buffy remembered the look on his face as he said, "You and Angel should just spend the night somewhere quite together, I'd be thinking about how I'd want to spend my last night on earth."

After the ambulance left, Spike lit a cigarette. "Well, he's certainly a nay-sayer, eh?"

"Spike, the guy was almost beaten to death, what do you expect?" Buffy let her breath out in impatience.

"Okay, we have to get this information back to Giles and Willow. Spike, you're going to have to go over to Sunnydale U by yourself and pick up Willow's friend. What was her name Buffy?"

"I know the drill, Peaches, Red filled me in before we left. Tara MaClay, blondish, full-figured, waiting in the quad. Better hit it now, before some SunnyD nasty gets to her before I do." He tossed his cigarette to the ground and held his hand out to Angel. "Need the keys to the Desoto."

Buffy whined, just slightly. "How are we supposed to get back?"

"Go Spike, I'll give Xander a call." He tossed the vampire the keys and headed for the nearest phone.

The quad wasn't terribly busy, considering it was still early, barely 6:00. Thankfully, the sun had been down for awhile since daylight savings hadn't kicked in yet. Spike lit another cigarette and scanned the people walking back and forth to the different buildings. Then he saw her. She wasn't the usually bird one saw on a California campus. She was absolutely voluptuous. Curves where there should be curves and not a bumpy bone in sight. She tried to hide it beneath the long skirt and billowy blouse, but anyone with eyes could see it. Yes, she looked to be quite the tasty morsel. Her head was slightly down, so as not to call attention to herself, a computer bag on one shoulder and another book bag set down at her feet. Her long blond hair covered half of her face, giving her a veil to look through, a bit of protection. Spike swung around the outside of the quad and came up behind her, she had no idea he was there until he had his hand on her bag.

"Hello pet. Lesson number one, when living in Sunnydale, never have your back to trees or bushes. Never know what nasties are waiting to gobble you up." She jumped and would have dropped her computer if Spike didn't have a hand on it.

Tara was speechless, which was often the case, but when she looked up into his eyes she found not only that she could barely breath, she couldn't seem to look away. He had the bluest eyes she had ever seen and cheekbones that would cut her if she touched them. Skin like alabaster marble. He was the most beautiful man she had ever seen.

Spike had never seen so many emotions cross a persons face in all the years he had been alive. This girl was an open book and he found her absolutely fascinating. Oh yes, he'd get to know her much better. "You are Tara, aren't you, love?"

When Tara finally found her voice, she stammered, naturally. "Y-y-yes. Are you Spike? Willow called to s-say you'd be p-picking me up."

"Sorry if I scared you, pet. I just couldn't see one of Willows friends end up a midnight snack for one of the many blood suckers that hunt at this school. Willow did tell you I'm a vampire, didn't she? Don't want you too freaked out." He took both bags from her and motioned for her to follow.

"Y-yes she did, she also said you were a nanny and that you wouldn't bite me." She looked closely at him. His aura didn't seem the same as all the other vamps she had seen since she had been in Sunnydale. He wasn't all back, there was some black, to be sure, but there was also red and grey and a metallic silvery shot throughout. He was more. Yes, so much more. She saw life.

"Well, I can promise I'll only bite you if you ask. But I'll never turn you. How's that for a bit of reassurance?" He smiled at her and cocked an eyebrow that had a very sexy scar. Her knees went weak. She hadn't felt this way since, well…never.

"Are you the one with the heart or the one with the soul?"

"What do you mean?"

Tara took a sidelong glance at him as he drove, admiring the long, slim fingers, imagining what they might feel like. Oh, for goddess sake, get a grip! He asked a question, answer it. "Um…Willow said there were three vampires. Two had souls. And one had a heart. Although she said he'd never admit to it."

"Damn straight, I don't have a heart. Don't go romanticizing me. I'm drawn to my grandsire and his child. There's a very strange bond. That doesn't mean to say I'm a poof like the old man. I'm evil, just not right now." He pulled out another cigarette and was about to light it.

"Could you please not. I mean, at least until we're out of the car? It hurts my eyes."

Spike looked over at her. Oh bollocks! I know this feeling. I am not going to be able to deny her anything. God, I'm such a poncey wanker! "Yeah, sure. I can wait 'til we get there." Turning up a steep driveway, "Actually, here we are."

Tara looked up the drive to the house that Willow and Oz had referred to as "The Mansion". She thought they had been playing with her, but now looking at the huge house, Tara could see it really was a mansion. Okay, now what have I gotten myself into?

Spike pulled up to the front entrance to the house and stopped the car. "Don't be nervous, it's just a house and they're just people. Except for that ponce Angel, one of the vamps with a soul. Buffy's the other, she's the slayer who also happens to be a vampire with a soul, as well. She's okay, she's a mum, actually. Used to beat me up a lot, but now, we're sort of related and I watch her son, so no beatings lately."

Spike got out and opened the door for her and he grabbed the bags. "And don't try to leave without me. I'll drive you back. Unless you want to stay the night? I have a right nice queen size bed, satin sheets, up to you." He gave her a smile that said he might be serious.

"I am serious."

Tara just stared, dumbfounded, after him.

"Come on, then. Nobody's gonna bite. Unless you ask."

Contacting the spirit guides was a total bust, so Giles and Faith drove back to the mansion. "I'm very disappointed, I just hope the research has yielded some better results." He slammed his fists onto the steering wheel.

Faith slid across the front seat and put her hand at the back of his neck, rubbing his tightened muscles. "Faith, we can't, we have to stop." She put her finger across his lips. "Rupes, we already did. We still are and I have never been happier. I'm not some little high school cheerleader with illusions of a house in the 'burbs with a white picket fence. I'm a woman, Rupert, one who knows her own mind. And my mind, my body, my everything, wants you. Now pull this car over right now or risk having a collision because I am going to get on top of you and work out all the tension I see building up. Now, Rupert!"

Giles pulled the car into an abandoned lot that was covered with trees. Faith smiled, this was the first time she didn't have to almost physically subdue the man to have sex with her. She took her boots and pants off before unzipping Giles pants. He was so ready for her she could've done a victory dance. But she had other plans for him. She mounted him and without any precursor, took him into her and just held him to her breast for a few seconds before they both began to move. He was hers and he now knew it. Life could be very good.

Giles wasn't sure the exact moment he knew he would no longer fight what was between them. They had made love not long after their first kiss. He just couldn't say no to Faith and was racked with guilt, thinking how he had taken advantage of her. She had just laughed and said, "Honey, did you ever really think you had a chance against me? I'm the slayer." She had rolled on top of him and they had spent the entire night with him inside of her, one way or another. Now, she wasn't just his lover, she was his everything. But he was still her watcher, and he felt an incredible responsibility to her. To protect her. To love her.

Once he had finally found his breath, he spoke. "Faith, we need to get back. Maybe the girls have found something." She looked into his eyes, he didn't have that guilty, I'm gonna burn in hell look. Progress. She kissed him and hopped off. "Okay, babe, let's hit it."

"I think we can get dressed first." Giles said as he zipped up his pants and attempted to straighten his shirt and hair.

"You are the ideas man, after all." Faith had to smile at his seriousness and the fact that she loved him.