Chapter Eight

Buffy's laughter stopped when she felt something. "Spike?" she asked, as she scanned the perimeter.

Angel was now uncomfortable from his enemy's name being released from his true love's mouth. "Buffy," he said, returning her attention to the physical him that was present.

"Sorry," she said, looking up at him. She's been talking with Angel this whole time but her mind was off wandering somewhere else. In another cemetery. "Angel, why're you here?"

He looked at her with mystification. "To be with you, Buffy. I love you."

"And I love you, but why all of a sudden is that enough?"

Angel was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. They were having fun a second ago. It figures, throw Spike into the mix and everything gets messed up. "Buffy, I don't understand-"

"Didn't you love me when we decided this couldn't happen? Didn't you love me when you left after graduation?"

"You know I did."

"Then why, now, is that strong enough? You're still cursed, right? If we sleep together and you have a moment of true happiness you'll turn into your psycho murdering counterpart." Angel hung his head. Buffy placed her left hand on his right cheek. It felt hot against his cold skin. "Angel, I will always love you. You were one of the best things that's ever happened to me." Her hand slid from his cheek and rested at her side. "But we were right the first time. This can't ever be anything." There was a moment of silence before Buffy suggested, "You should go back to LA."

Angel slowly nodded. He kissed her on the forehead and started to head back to the mansion to gather his things. Buffy stood there as he walked away. When he was twenty feet away he turned around. "I was hoping it could be like it was."

"Confusing and hard," Buffy joked.

"And fun. It was fun wasn't it?"

Buffy smiled. "Yeah."

Angel smirked and disappeared into the night.

"Typical walking into the darkness Angel," Buffy said with amusement. She faced the front gate and headed out.

Spike's crypt was dark, yet Buffy felt welcomed to it. She opened the door and called in with hope, "Spike?"

His crypt looked abandoned. The tv set was cold and his chair lacked a body imprint. Empty liquor bottles were scattered around the stone coffin.

"Spike?" she called again, knowing the obvious. She left the comfort of the strong cement walls and went out looking for him.

"Spike!" Buffy yelled into the shadows of the main street. This is where he usually stocked up on blood or stole cigarettes. "Damnit Spike, where are you?"

"Over here," an unknown voice spoke.

Buffy stared in its direction. A teen in a varsity jacket and baggy green pants showed himself. "Oh puhleeze," Buffy exerted.

"Are you lost?" he asked, trying to be debonair.

"I don't have time for this. Why don't we skip over the 'I'm gonna kill you' speech and jump right to me staking you and making a snappy pun?"

"Or maybe I'll just kill you and have my own crafty pun."

Buffy sarcastically commented, "Yeah, you just scream Aristotle."

The vampire ran toward Buffy, aiming at her waist. She used his momentum to smash him into the wall. "Gotta tell ya, I'm getting a little worried. I never would've thought of running my head into a wall." He growled and kicked for her side. Buffy grabbed his leg and elbowed him in the face. While his back was turned she kicked the back of his leg, making him fall to his knees. Buffy whipped out her stake and shoved it through his chest. "This concludes our transaction."

Buffy walked up the steps of her house and opened the door. She saw Xander holding Anya on the couch as they slept. She went up the stairs to Willow and Tara's room. Oh man, they're sleeping. Buffy shut the door and stood there for a moment. I could try and do it myself. She opened the door and shuffled through the books quietly. She pulled out a small brown book and brought it into the hall.

Buffy opened to the correct page and read to herself. "Okay, I need some crystalusin. Crystalinium?" Buffy quietly spoke, guessing the word written down. "Is that a 'y' or a 'z'?"

Their bedroom door opened, revealing a red head. "Buffy?" Willow asked.

Buffy looked up. "Willow. Did I wake you?"

"No, that was my bladder. What're you doing?"

"Is this a 'c' or a 'z'?" she asked, holding the page up to her magically inclined friend.

"A 'v'. But why're you looking up a demolition spell?"

"Demolition spell?" she asked in disbelief. "Good thing I didn't do it." She handed Willow the book and asked, "Can you help me with a locator spell?"

"Of course. For what?" Willow quietly walked into her room and grabbed a bag of something from the bookshelf as she returned Buffy's book. She shut the door and made her way to Buffy's room.

"I need to find Spike," Buffy answered once the door was closed.

Willow paused when she was about to sit down. "Did something happen?"

"No, I just need to find him. I don't know what's going on yet so…"

Willow nodded and sat on the floor. "Okay, could you get the map for Sunnydale while I prepare?"

"Yeah." Buffy left the room and came back with an atlas in her hand. "Here ya go."

Willow closed her eyes and rested her hands, palm up, on her knees.

"Should I be doing what you're doing?" she asked.

"No, you're fine," she said with a smile.

"Okay."

Willow said a few words in a different language and then sprinkled some of the powder she had, on the map. A single light shone on the hill that looked over the town. "There he is."

Buffy quickly got up and ran out.

Spike was sitting on top of the hill, finishing off his cigarette, when Buffy came running up to him. His head turned, giving her acknowledgment of her presence, but he said nothing.

"You better not be pulling an Angel," she warned.

"What's that s'posed to mean?" he said, flicking the butt of his cigarette away.

"Waiting up here for the sun to rise."

"Not that desperate," Spike said. He rose from the ground and brushed himself off. "Hate to disappoint ya love."

"You didn't."

Spike folded his arms over his chest. "Where's tall dark and forehead? He pack up his gel and fly away?"

"Funny," Buffy stated, catching the apparent joke. She looked at her feet as she approached Spike. "He did go back to LA though. I asked him to." She looked Spike in the eyes when she was about a foot away from him.

"I missed the goin' away party, that why ya up here?"

"No, I'm up here because I had Willow do a locator spell to find you." Spike's face contorted into one of confusion. "You're not the easiest vampire to find when someone wants to find you."

"Ya want to see my reaction when ya turn me down, is that it?" he asked.

"No."

"Well just hurry up and tell me. Letterman's on in five."

"You watch Letterman?" Buffy asked. "I would've pegged you for a Leno fan."

"Leno? You're jokin' right? That ponce is a disgrace to late night tv. And what's with the hair? Besides, Letterman does the 'Top Ten' lists."

"Valid point." Buffy bit her bottom lip. C'mon Buffy. No more beating around the bush. What does that mean? Oh, for crying out loud Buffy! "Spike, I know the past couple days haven't been easy on you."

"What was your first clue?"

"Angel." Spike's mouth tensed and his teeth were clenched. "But now he's gone and you can relax."

"You're killin' me Buffy."

"Sorry," she said, not sure what he meant.

"Just tell me." His face was worried and sad.

Buffy walked over to him, placed both her hands on his face and pulled him in for a kiss. After a minute of tongue twirling and lip locking, they parted. "Have you caught on yet or do I have to spell it out for you?"

"I'd like to buy a vowel."

"And Wheel of Fortune," Buffy said, even more shocked.

"I'm very educated," he said as he leaned towards her. Buffy smiled and wrapped her hands around his neck as they embraced.