Chapter 21

"Yes you forgot to mention SPIKE!" Angel roared. "What the HELL IS HE DOING HERE Buffy?"

"Me, I belong here peaches, been helping out and all, didn't take off when the slayer needed me the most." Spike mocked, willing to do anything to keep his grandsire from finding out the truth.

"Angel calm down, Spike's completely harmless." Buffy placated.

"Harmless? Buffy are you out of your mind I know Spike I trained Spike, he's never been nor never will be harmless." Angel insisted filled with frustration, fear and rage.

"That's right you did teach me all I know didn't you." Spike goaded seeing exactly where this was going. "I guess that means all those people I killed were your fault doesn't it."

The look of fury on Buffy's face when Spike finished that comment made him realize very quickly that, that had been a very, very bad idea. Turning to Angel with a little smile Buffy simply said, "Spike's impotent, he's got a chip in his head from the government, and he can't feed on an innocent with out a blinding pain in his head. He help us out for a spot of violence and blood money." Turning back to Spike Buffy sent him a winning smile as she watched his face register the embarrassment of his situation. Crossing the room to him she whispered quietly, "That will teach you to fuck with my friends, do it again Spike and I'll put you out of your misery."

Knowing there was nothing the Slayer wouldn't do to protect his bloody grandsire Spike growled "Whatever, when you want to know what I've got send someone to the crypt with the usual amount I'm out of here." Spike stormed out of the mansion not wanting to be in the room with Angel once he processed what Buffy had just told him. It was a good thing Vampires couldn't blush because otherwise Spike's face would have been beet red.

Angel was frozen in shock. He'd heard what Buffy had said, but he was having a hard time processing the information.

Cordy wasn't having that difficulty, and once she realized Buffy was in fact serious she started laughing hysterically and screaming after Spike, "Hey Blondie get back here, and BITE ME!" Turning to Buffy while still laughing she gasped out, "Oh the sweet sweet taste of revenge. I can't believe you forgot to tell us this, how long has he been this way?"

Smirking Buffy had known Cordelia would truly appreciate the humor of the situation. "A year."

"Oh that's priceless. Serves the Billy Idol wannabe right, I mean do you know how much damage he caused the last time he was in LA. He stuck Angel with red-hot pokers."

"WHAT!" Buffy screamed turning to Angel. "Why didn't you tell me this I would have staked his ass a lot sooner."

"He was after that ring you sent Angel last year." Cordy supplied since Angel still appeared unable to speak.

"Whatever happened to that thing anyway, I mean why don't you wear it, it would save you a trip in the trunk." Buffy mentioned looking confused.

"Oh please, Mister I've got to Suffer over there destroyed the damn thing so he wouldn't be tempted." Cordy groused.

"He What! Of all the stupid masochistic idiotic things to do." Buffy muttered exasperatedly.

"Preaching to the choir here." Cordy commiserated. "So tell me more about Spike, this has made my day."

Perking up Buffy remembered a tidbit of information that hadn't been shared, "Well you know he dated Harmony right?" She ginned and waited for the explosion.

"WHAT! Oh my God, please tell me your not kidding." Cordy practically hyperventilated. At Buffy's nod Cordelia started laughing so hard she fell on her side on the floor and couldn't get up.

It was that bit of information that pulled Angel out of his stupor. "Wait a minute Spike dated Harmony, as in ditzy blonde vampire Harmony? One of Cordy's former Cordettes Harmony?"

"Yep." Buffy succinctly replied.

That did it Angel needed to sit down. The problem occurred when he sat down with out a chair behind him and ended up on the floor. This of course sent everyone in the room into more peals of laughter. Dean offered Angel a hand and pulled him up. Muttering an embarrassed, "Thank you." Angel moved to the couch. Leaning over and resting his elbows on his knees Angel rested his head in his hands as his shoulders began to shake with mirth. "Damn Buffy are you trying to make me lose my soul." He finally managed to get out. "I mean first you tell me Spike's impotent, and then you tell me he dated Harmony. I can only take so much happiness you know."

Letting out a chuckle Buffy said, "Angel was that a joke, you're getting better. I'd better go tell Giles Spike has information he'll probably be pissed we let Spike leave without finding out what it was. I don't want to make matters worse. Sam, Cordy back to work, as much fun as this little session has been we need to focus.

Throwing Buffy a sloppy salute Cordy pulled herself upright and faced Sam once again.

Dean and Dawn joined Angel on the couch as they watched Cordy lead Sam into a trance. Cordy's voice floated softly around the room the tone soothing and hypnotic. "Close your eyes Sam, and relax. Take deep breaths and hold them for 3 counts then release them slowly. Concentrate on what you're trying to accomplish. You are a seer, it's a part of you, and it's your destiny. Accept that, embrace it, revel in it, and then call upon it. You're not just the vessel for the higher powers, they chose you for a reason, awaken that part of your mind and harness its power."

"Damn." Dean whispered, "She's good. I feel like having a vision myself."

"I know, what's happened to her." Dawn asked having a difficult time collating the mature seer in front of her with the bitchy drama queen that she used to know.

"She experienced all the pain and emotions of everyone around her." Angel's voice was laced with sadness and pride.

Looking up sharply Dean asked, "What happened?"

"A demon marked her and it caused her to feel everything." Angel's eyes clouded as he remembered Cordelia lying in that hospital bed.

"Poor Cordy." Dawn whispered.

Angel started to speak, only to stop as Buffy re-entered the room. Crossing to the couch as quietly as possible so as to not disturb Cordelia and Sam, Buffy squeezed between Dawn and Dean.

Angel leaned forward and asked, "Everything taken care of?"

"Yeah." Buffy answered with a nod. "He's going to go with John and find out what's going on. After I told him what happened he figured Spike wouldn't be real receptive to anyone else." Buffy admitted.

"Too true." Dean muttered shooting Angel a smirk, which Angel answered.

The continued villivification of Spike was put on hold however when Sam and Cordelia both gasped and their body's tensed.

Dawn jumped up from the couch and was running to Sam's side to try and help ease his pain. Dean who hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her back to the couch stopped her.

"What are you doing?" Dawn hissed struggling furiously.

"What Sammy asked me to do Dawn." Dean whispered back tightening his hold. "Look Dawn you're not going over there all right. Sammy doesn't need anymore guilt in his life and you experiencing his pain hurts him worse then the physical pain he has to endure."

Dawn quieted down and listened to Dean's words. A part of her wanted to rush to Sam's side no matter what Dean said, but Dawn couldn't deny the truth of his words. "I don't want him to go through this alone." She finally whispered her voice laced with tears.

"It's no picnic for me either sweetheart." Dean said as his grip changed from a hold to a hug. "I'd do anything to spare him from this, but like Cordy said, it's his destiny and you and me both have to accept that."

"Destiny sucks." Dawn muttered into Dean's shirt.

"No joke." Came from both Angel and Buffy and caused Dawn to grin wryly at the truth of that statement.

Focusing back on Sam and Cordelia they watched in silence as the two seers battled through the pain that seemed to be taking longer then normal, to gain the knowledge they sought.

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Cordy, and Sam faced each other in the battlefield with which Sam was unfortunately getting very familiar.

"Damn, no wonder Dawn didn't want you to have another vision." Cordy voiced taking in the surrounding carnage.

"It keeps changing." Sam said distractedly.

"Focus what's different?" Cordelia slipped into guide mode, urging Sam to find answers.

"Riley's no longer here, and the addition of you and the rest of the LA gang is new, but where's Dawn." Sam looked around starting to get concerned. "The tower was in the last vision but it's different now. There's someone up there." Sam was getting agitated. "Can you tell who it is?" He demanded.

"It's your vision Sam." Cordelia guided "Make the information come to you."

Feeling an overwhelming sense of urgency Sam focused all his concentration on the top of the tower. It was like going into warp speed in Star Wars suddenly the position changed and instead of being on the ground they were on the platform at the top of the tower. Letting out a gasp Sam saw Dawn bound and gagged while an old man cut her with a knife. The red-hot fury that washed over Sam seemed to boil and coalesce in the air around them. "THIS MUST NOT COME TO PASS!" Sam's mind shouted.

"SAM FOCUS!" Cordelia shouted trying to get him back under control. "Find out how this could happen, the vision is yours see what's changed, this is the end go back to the beginning."

The rage continued to build within Sam, but he was now focusing it with pinpoint precision. Determination roared within him, however this had come to pass would simply not happen. Once again the world around them began to slide out of focus and they found themselves in an alley in the depths of Sunnydale. In front of them was Spike talking with a man Sam didn't recognize at first. Sam moved closer to hear what Spike was saying, what he heard gave him chills.

"Look, you want to get to the slayer go after the niblet. Buffy would do anything to protect her and so would the rest of them. I'm sick and bloody tired of being their lap dog. It's about time the slayer remembers that I'm evil. You get the girl and I get this blasted chip out of my head. Deal?" Spike ranted the earlier humiliation Buffy had bestowed obviously had sent Spike over the edge. While the blonde vampire may have been fond of Dawn, he was a demon and couldn't allow an insult to pass. When the man Spike was talking to turned around Sam recognized him as the old man with black eyes who'd been on top of the tower.

Once again the world slid and Cordelia and Sam were in front of Dawn's school. Sam began frantically searching for any clue as to what day and time it was. He paused as Cordelia grabbed his arm and pointed to the front of the school. Dawn was exiting with Dave and laughing at something the young man had said. Before they reached the bottom they were attacked. Two minions approached them from behind. The first one pulled out a knife and slit Dave's throat from the back. Dawn let out a horrified scream as Dave's blood sprayed her face, before she could attack the second minion knocked her unconscious, and they loaded her in a van. Cordy and Sam watched in horror as Dawn was driven away and Dave bled out on the steps of the school.

"Damn it." Sam shouted, "What day is it. It's no use to me if I don't know when."

Cordelia spun around looking for anything that would let them have a time frame to prevent this catastrophe. "Look Sam!" She shouted.

Sam raced to her side, his concentration beginning to slip as he was being overwhelmed with information. It was all too much; they had to prevent this future from happening at all costs. He followed Cordelia's line of sight and let out a sigh of relief, as he saw were she was pointing. There at the corner of the school was a sign saying, come support the Sunnydale Pirates at their home game tonight March 15th.

"That's two days from now." Cordy said, "That gives us plenty of time to prevent this from happening. It's time to go back now Sam, we've learned what we needed too." Cordy put her hand on Sam's arm knowing how difficult this vision quest had been on him.

"Yes," Sam said his voice quiet and deadly. "Let's go back, we have plans to make."

Cordelia felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up at the deadly determination she heard in Sam's voice. "Spike you idiot, you've done it now." She thought knowing that Spike had better be on the way out of town. Not that, it would save his life, but it would give him a little more time. If there was one thing she'd learned about the Winchester's it was that boy could they hold a grudge.

Sam felt like a flickering flame in the middle of a tornado. A single thought that burned brightly in the midst of overwhelming information. A mantra that pulsed with the very beat of his heart. It throbbed in his skull, even as other information tried to push it's way in, and nothing could. The initial tidal wave of anger had passed and in it's place was a world of red where he could see nothing but the words "This can not come to pass." Pulsing against the red background. He felt disconnected from everything else. He barely registers Cordelia's words that it was time to go home. When it finally broke through he allowed his focus to shift just enough to pull them back to the reality of the mansion.

Upon opening his eyes Sam was met with the concerned glances of both the AI, and Scooby gang. Searching for Dawn he paid the others no mind till his eyes settled on his precious key. Rising in one fluid motion he crossed to her side and pulled her tightly to him. He ignored the barrage of questions that were being fired in his direction. "Let Cordelia deal with them" he thought. All that mattered was keeping Dawn safe. He felt the anger transfer from his vision to reality, and his power began to demand to be used. The air began to crackle, windows began to shake, and Sam saw Dawn's face in front of him looking frightened and concerned. She seemed to be asking him a question over and over again. Nothing penetrated his new red world. Without warning the doors slammed shut, the shutters flew across the windows and bolted. What was once an open room became a sealed fortress. Nothing was going to happen to Dawn.

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Dawn's been scared before. Let's face it, you spend any time at all on a hellmouth and you're going to be scared. But never before had she felt as scared as she was right now. It had been five minutes since Sam and Cordelia had gone into the vision and they still weren't back yet. It had never taken this long before, and Angel had verified that Cordelia had never had a vision last longer then a minute either.

Buffy had quickly gone to get Giles before he and John left for Spike's. Angel rounded up everyone else while Dawn stayed firmly at Sam's side with Dean. He wasn't moving he practically wasn't breathing, and it was scaring the hell out of Dawn. Everyone came streaming into the living room, and the noise level rose dramatically.

Dawn couldn't figure out what was going on, and it was driving her crazy. Then she let out a gasp as she felt a wave on anger flow out of Sam and over the room. Apparently everyone else felt it as well as the room became silent.

"What the hell was that?" Gunn spoke up sounding wigged out.

"I don't know I have no point of reference for this kind of experience." Giles muttered. "Wesley has anything like this ever happened in the past?"

"Never, Cordelia's visions are usually over in a minute." Wesley said sounding both perplexed and concerned.

"Sam's as well." Dean spoke his eyes never leaving his brother's still form.

Suddenly and without warning Sam's eyes opened and everyone jumped back except for Dawn and Dean who rushed forward to find out what had happened.

"Sam, thank God you're okay." Dawn cried only to be rendered silent as Sam looked at her. There was something shining out of his eyes that scared Dawn to her core.

When Sam rose and grabbed her and pulled her close Dawn had no idea what was going on.

Wesley had rushed to Cordelia's side and was checking her over, as she seemed to be more responsive then Sam, "Cordelia are you okay? Can you tell us what happened?"

Cordelia was unable to answer as power began to roll off Sam until the air in the room was crackling. The windows and doors slammed shut startling everyone.

"Damn," Cordelia said as Angel and Wesley helped her up. "No one try to leave this room, trust me when I say you really don't want to get in Sam's way right now."

"What the hell happened to him?" Dean roared at Cordelia as his brother continued to refuse to speak and simply remained motionless with a tight grip on Dawn.

"It worked is what happened. I thought I had a gift; well Sam makes me look like a magic eight ball. Not only was he able to call up a vision he was able to call up multiple visions and to trace them back to the act that was the catalyst for the chain of events." Cordelia sounded tired and awed.

"What happened to Dawn that made him go like this, and can you fix it?" Buffy asked her own concern for her sister keeping her in a state of panic.

"Could someone please get me a glass of water and my meds, and then I promise to tell you everything. Don't worry about Sam right now he's okay, he's just very very upset by what he saw." Looking around quickly Cordy let out a sigh of relief when she saw that John and Giles were still in the room. "Oh thank God you haven't left yet. Thank you Wes." Cordy accepted the water and pills gratefully.

"Take all the time you need, Cordy." Angel reassured. "I think it's safe to say we're not going anywhere."

Chuckling Cordelia agreed with Angel's assessment. "Look bottom line, we were, are, oh hell I don't know. Spike sells out Dawn to the demon, she's kidnapped and sliced and diced on the top of a tower at the last battle." It might have been blunt, but Cordy didn't have the inclination to try and soften the blow right now.

The room fell into total silence. "What?" Came from Dawn who looked like her best friend had just betrayed her. "Why?"

"Damn Dawnie I'm sorry, but after his humiliation here tonight Spike meets with some weird guy in an alley and sells you out." Cordy said apologetically.

"I'll kill him." Buffy's voice was low and without emotion as she contemplated how she was going to torture Spike.

"NO!"

Everyone in the room jumped as Sam finally spoke, though he didn't release Dawn from his grasp.

"Sam!" Came from all directions.

"What do you mean No?" Buffy roared back her own fear and anger making her somewhat irrational.

"We're not simply going to change one outcome, and leave room for it to happen anyway. We're going to finish this once and for all. Grab what ever weapons you can find. We're going to follow Spike and when he meets his connection we're going to kill them both. I don't know who this guy was, but he is important to Glory and that's all I need to know." Sam's voice had not wavered as he gave the order to arms, nor had he let go of Dawn.

"Sound's like a plan to me." Dean's own voice was laced with steel.

"Works for me." Buffy echoed, grabbing an axe from the arsenal.

"Angel do you have any connection to Spike we can use to track him?" Cordelia asked as she selected a cross bow from the pile of weapons.

"Spike and I never formed a real bond due to the fact that we hated each other." Angel admitted reluctantly wishing he could be more help. His own guilt eating at him that he had been the one to inadvertently create Spike.

"All right Sam's plan seems to be the only one we've got, so let's gear up people. Might I suggest that Giles and I approach Spikes crypt alone in case he's still inside. We can use the fact that we were planning on going to get the information he had to share. We don't want to spook him into running away." John spoke to the group looking around for any dissenters as he loaded up a shotgun.

"Excellent shall we then." Giles's own fury was hard pressed to control.

"Uhm Sammy, if we're going to do this you're going to have to let us leave the room." Dean mentions as he tried to open the door only to find that Sam was still holding them closed.

Closing his eyes Sam rubbed a hand over his face before the door swung open and everyone marched into the dark night.

To be continued.

Yes I know I suck. Deal with it. First of all I want to thank my brand new beta, MoonDaughter. I can't thank you enough for all your help. Please go read her amazing Supernatural story here http/z14. very talented. Secondly, all you Spike lovers don't freak out. I love Spike I really do, and you never know what the future could bring. This isn't going to be your typical Spike's a villain ending I promise his character is to complex and interesting. In my defense I will say that I believe what I've written so far has been in character. Spike's a very passionate demon and let's not forgets the episode where he very nearly shot Buffy. I firmly believe that had Buffy not been in such obvious pain, that in a fit of anger Spike was capable of killing her at that moment. I ended this Chapter a little short, because I have a lot of ideas for the climax and ending of this story and I want to make sure I don't rush through any thing.