Good Enough

By MsBigBad

Prologue

Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy or any of the characters from the show. They belong to UPN, FOX, Mutant Enemy, and the wonderfully talented Joss Wheedon whom I love and adore! I'm just using them for some entertainment cause I'm an obsessed freak! Any original characters belong to me and may not be used w/o my permission. (I'd be happy to let you borrow but please no stealing!) Series title belongs to Sarah Mc Glaghlan, and is used w/o permission. Any quotes and/or poems will be disclaimed in the text. Flashbacks are in italics.

Ships: Spike/Buffy, Xander/Anya, Willow/Tara, Wesley/Cordelia, Gunn/Fred, Clem/Lorne, and Connor/Dawn.

Spoilers: Through "Seeing Red" on Buffy and " " on Angel.

Summary: After overhearing a prophecy concerning the chosen one, Spike decides to return to Sunnydale leaving Africa and the 15 years he's spent there behind.

Note: From the time of "Seeing Red" and " " this story is A/U. Which means there was no death of Tara, No nicely boxed Angel at the bottom of the ocean, no vainy Willow, and absolutely no flaying of Warren! If you want to know what has replaced that part I suggest you read my timeline.

Feedback: Please! I'd love to know what you think! You can reach me at .

Thanks: I want to thank my best friend Lauren for always believing in me and for giving me this little obsession! You are what keeps me alive! I've never had such a good friend that I could laugh and cry with till it hurt! And of course have long LOTR discussions and kinky fantasies of parts (he, he, he!) of the fellowship. You know what I mean I need to stop now cause then they'll be reading this for too long to even think about reading the story! I want to also thank my other friend Heather for wanting to read my stuff and for making me laugh enough to forget some of the angst in my stories! To everyone who archives/reviews my fics! I'm soo grateful for all you've done! Of course I need to thank Joss and his crew of talented writers, producers, directors, actors, and special behind the scenes guys! Thank you guys so much for the 2 best TV shows ever in existence! Really wanna thank James Marsters for being my snowman! (Don't worry if you don't get that! It's a seriously disturbing inside joke!) I love James! Good luck in everything that you do. And I really wanna thank you for reading my fic! Especially if you read through all this nonsense and bonus points if you actually pondered the snowman thing! (Seriously just let it go! It'll drive you insane and your head will explode! Yuck!) Lot's of luvs! Enjoy! Mwahhh!

I lov'd-but those I lov'd are gone;

Had friends-my early friends are fled.

How cheerless feels the heart alone,

When all its former hopes are dead!

Though gay companions o'er the bowl

Dispel awhile the sense of ill;

Though pleasure stirs the maddening soul,

The heart-the heart-is lonely still.

--George Noel Gordon

The smoke of his cigarette slowly wafts through the ill lit bar. A big brawly demon with several horns covering his body and fiery red eyes comes in. He sits down at one of the tables and orders a drink. A few minutes later a second demon walks in and pulls up a chair beside him.

"You got it?" The first demon asks.

"Right here." The second says patting a small leather bag at his side.

"Well, let's see it then!"

"Shh. Not here." The other says shaking his head.

The man takes one last draw from his fag before crushing it under his heavy boot. He watches as the demons go into the alleyway. He follows cautiously.

"Jarabica imported this from America. Wasn't made there I suppose."

"No. Americans prefer foreign things. Why should this be any different?" The demon opens the bag. He pulls out a round orb-like object. The man continues to watch them, curious to what they are up to. The demons set the orb on the ground as the wind kicks up and blue light dispels from it. A young woman appears out of the light. Her voice is solemn and echoes off the alley walls.

"She who is chosen to live in the night,

Shall dance with death and lose the fight.

When the tides of love bash her against the cliffs,

She'll give it all up.

She'll lose her defense.

She cherishes and keeps the secret soul of a thief,

And he forevermore shall seek to find her.

And from beneath the deep where evil sleeps,

Children will cry and mothers, weep.

When the past is undone and the battle is won,

So shall pass the chosen one."

He's heard enough. He draws a sword from his pack and quickly beheads the demons. He grabs the orb, closes it, and heads back to his flat.

He jiggles the key and the door finally opens. He throws his pack on the lumpy couch and kneels on the floor. He opens the orb. Papers fly around the room and the blue light from the alley is back. The woman appears again also.

"She who is chosen…"

The sun has been up for a few hours but still he sits in the same place.

"and the battle's won. So shall pass the chosen one." The woman finishes.

"So shall pass the chosen one." He repeats.

"Buffy."

A name he hadn't spoken in years.

A person he could never forget no matter how many years went by.

"I'm gonna make you feel it. -- C'mon. Let yourself love me."

"Ask me again why I could never love you."

He throws the orb against the hard brick wall; it clatters to the floor. He grabs his leather duster and fills his pack with a few choice swords and one crossbow with quills. He walks over to the window. Rain clouds are moving in. It seems to rain a lot lately and it isn't even monsoon season yet. He picks up the orb and stashes it away once more. He rushes out of his flat slamming the door so hard that a picture falls from the wall. It shatters.

"Bollicks!"

He opens the door again and takes the picture out of the frame. He closes the door and shoves the picture of Joyce, Dawn, and Buffy into the breast pocket of his duster. As he reaches the front desk Joe, the landlord, asks him.

"Where are you goin' in such a hurry?"

"The states. I'll be back in a few days. Don't you rent out my room like you did last time! I mean it Joe! I'll kick your ass!" He warns pointing his fingers at the tiny man.

"Hey, hey! That was just a misunderstanding!"

Spike gives him a cynical look.

"And you were gone for a whole 6 months!" Joe shot back.

"It was 4 and I was paid up for 10 so don't give me that bullshit!"

"Alright, alright it'll be here when you get back." He says reluctantly.

Spike walks through the front door and out into the street headed for the airport.

"If you get back." Joe chuckles to himself.

Continued in Part 1 of Good Enough - Time Changes Everything