Chapter 2 – Catalysts

"So how goes it?" Buffy asked with high hopes that the gang would have something for her to do or see. Xander joined the room with 2 plates of pizza, handing one to Buffy, she gave him a quick "Thanks," as they both listened to the morning research debriefing.

"Pretty good, I think" Willow chimed "The spell should allow us to take a peek into other dimensions, like Dawn thought, I just don't know how we're gonna see what we want out of the dimension. It could be like watching live TV of what's going on there right now, which could be helpful, or ya know very unhelpful since the FIRST being an all seeing entity probably isn't trying to overtake another dimension right now."

"Well it probably is because some are exact copies of ours with small changes" Anya pointed out.

"Well what I'm trying to figure out is how to make the window more like a movie trailer, showing us the highlights of the dimension. You know the best and worst things that happened there, I'm sure the FIRST would make that kinda list in dimension history."

"The trailers are almost always better than the movie anyway" Xander piped in.

"Yes Willow, but how do we do that without some kind of conduit?" Anya asked "Magic has to be focused on something specific, a catalyst, especially when dealing with different times and places."

"Could we grab a Bringer and focus the mirror veil on them, I mean they're an agent of the FIRST, kind of around for all it's evil doings." Dawn suggested.

"Maybe, but if we're looking for a way to beat the FIRST, I'm not sure looking at other dimension Bringers kill more slayers would be helpful. That seems to be about all they do." Anya rebutted.

"That we know of," Buffy added between bites "For all we know they maybe do special chanting on the side that is the key to the FIRST's power. This is all listed in that 'we don't know diddly' column."

"Oooo, or that Towarick knife?" Dawn almost yelled as she thought of it "Loud, sorry I know…" exchanging an embarrassed look around the room, then regained her composure and continued "Yeah, ya know the one Andrew used to open the seal. Maybe find out more as to why it's connected? I mean ancient demon language and the FIRST evil may be more than pen pals."

"Yeah that could be worth…" Willow started but was cut off by a deep British voice.

"What about me?"

"Spike, what about you, what?" Willow asked for the group.

"I've been listening to the pow wow kiddies. What about trying to see what the FIRST has in store for me. Last we know it told the boy it wasn't time for me yet. If we can see what may happen when it is my time, I'd say that be helpful to know. So we can avoid me killing any good guys, right?"

"I'm all for Spike not killing us all in our sleep." Anya agreed.

"I don't know I was kinda looking forward to it," Xander joked "then I get to say 'I told you so" to everyone!"

"Xander." Buffy glared.

"Sorry." Xander replied half-heartedly.

"So what 'bout it Red? Think another dimension me would give us a clue how I'm suppose' to muck it all up."

"Yeah, that may work," Willow nodded "at least to start, maybe using Spike and finding another thing we think the FIRST is gonna use in it's end game."

"Like the knife!" Dawn boasted again a little too excited.

"Yeah maybe Dawnie, or if we…" But before Willow could finish Buffy chimed in

"Use me."

"Buffy?" Dawn said a little confused.

"Makes sense" Spike agreed.

"Yeah," Willow agreed "Whatever the FIRST's plan is, it's gotta involve the two of you, otherwise it'd be trying harder to kill you. And it had told Andrew not to kill you yet."

"You sounded a little too chipper about that Will." Xander pointed out.

"Well it's good they aren't dead yet, isn't it?" Willow asked.

"I'm glad neither of you are dead," Dawn declared.

"Thanks little bit," Spike nodded with a little smirk.

Buffy chuckled to herself. She found their relationship so funny at times. It made sense for the most part, the summer she was dead they did spend a lot of time together. Plus the whole Spike loves me and Dawn is like a mini-pain-in-the-but version of me. Either way the person I love most in this world trusted Spike, so why do I have to make it all so complicated? Then she heard a sound emerging beyond her thoughts, and looked up to see Willow, and everybody else staring right at her. "What?" afraid she had just said any or all of that out loud.

"I asked if you think that'll work? Using you and Spike as the conduit for the mirrored veil?" Willow reiterated "I mean it seems pretty obvious that the FIRST's ideal end game is gonna involve the two of you."

Buffy risked a glance at Spike for reassurance, who was all for it it would seem. "Yeah, let's try it, what's the worst that could happen, we see how I get to die again?" Buffy stated with almost infectious enthusiasm.

"So we can keep it from bloody happenin' again. Dying once is fine, twice is a bit of a stretch, three times is just bollocks." Spike said, trying to keep it lighthearted, but not being especially convincing.

"Alright then, give us the rest of the afternoon to put it together and get supplies then we should be good to go." Willow explained "Xander would you mind running out to get some stuff? You could take Andrew with, you may want a second pair of hands."

"Fine, just cause you asked nicely Will, and your my best friend…" then Xander left for the kitchen and returned 10 seconds later "I'm gonna need to know what I have to get."

"I'll make you a list, just give me a minute."

"Right then, if ya'll don't need me I'd like to get a bit more rest downstairs before I become a magic puppet." Spike looked to Willow then Buffy for the answer to his question.

"That should be fine, we'll come get ya when we need ya" Willow said comfortably, with that Spike gave a nod and headed for the basement.

"Won't need me either than at the moment?" Buffy inquired, Spike paused a before heading down the steps. Was she wanting to come lay down with him? Talk to him?

"Na, I'd imagine I'll be ready around sunset if that works for you?" Willow replied.

"Great, I was wanting to take the potentials out on a run," Buffy announced, and with that Spike descended the stairs, of course she didn't want to spend time with me. "Did the whole strength training this morning, so once the pizza has settled I'll take them out."

"Sounds good to me" Willow endorsed.

It was about 5:00, and hour or two before sunset, an hour or two before it was time to work the mojo; and sleep was the farthest thing from Spike's mind. How could I sleep after I practically poured my heart out to her and she just brushed me off? I may be a creature of the night, but I still have the heart of a poet. With every confused thought Spike took it out on the punching bag that hung in the basement. She knows I love her, would die for her, hell I practically have half a dozen times. So what the bleeding hell is wrong with her… or me, what's it take to be hers? I got the soul, without a "no-shagging" addendum too, unlike Tall Dark & Forehead… With another strong backhanded punch to the bag Spike heard the door at the top of the stairs open. He paused to listen as Dawn called down to him.

"Spike? You awake"

"Yeah little bit, I'm up"

"You decent?"

Just the way she said it made him chuckle a bit. "Nope I'm stark naked, while I bash away at the punchin' bag."

"I was just checking," she explained as she headed down the stairs, relieved that he was indeed messing with her and was fully clothed. "It's not like we all don't know ya sleep nude a lot."

"Since when's that common knowledge?"

"I don't know, just is." Was all Dawn could offer as she took a seat at the table at the bottom of the stairs. "So, not so much with the sleep before the magic session?" she said as she pointed to the still swaying punching bag.

"Na couldn't sleep, thought I'd workout instead."

"Hm," not so convinced boredom was the only reason.

"What? Big sis can take this time to go work out with the wanna be's, but I can't punch the stuffin out of a sack?" he said, clearly frustrated as he plopped down in the seat across from Dawn at the table.

"Did you wanna go jogging in the sunlight?" Dawn pried, a little confused.

"No, just getting annoyed with the slayerettes I guess."

"Yeah, I get that" empathizing with the housebroken vampire "I barely see Buffy anymore, at least you get to go with on slayer training, well after dark anyway."

"Not so much since the FIRST's got the bloody uber-vamps running about. Not so safe to be taking the girls out after dark. Or at least that's what Buffy tells me."

"Ouch, little bitter there Spike?"

"No, Buffy can lead these girls however she see fit, I'll help when I'm asked and get lost when I'm not needed."

"Okay not a little bitter, lotta bitter. What's wrong Spike? And don't say nothing, 'cause you're not even trying to hide how frustrated you are. Is it the potentials or Buffy your mad at?"

"The trollops are just getting on my nerves, too much time around them I s'pect."

"So what did Buffy do then?"

"When did you get all insightful little bit?"

"About the same time I got incredibly scary," Spike shot her a confused look "Buffy told me you said that, I was pretty proud I actually scared you." Dawn grinned wildly, and Spike couldn't help but chuckle at the young woman. After a moment Dawn got more serious again and repeated her question "So, what did Buffy do to make you upset?"

"Nothin', I just tried explainin' how I feel about her, again, and she just shrugged me off and ran upstairs."

"How do you feel about her, honestly?"

Spike was confused by the question, if everyone knew he slept starkers, then everyone definitely knew he was in love with Buffy. "Dawn you know…"

"No, I mean I want you to straight up tell me how you feel about her without saying 'I love her'."

Spike thought for a moment, took a deep breath then said "I've been alive for over 100 years, and of all the things I've done there has only been one thing I've ever been sure of, and that would be your sis. I'm gobsmacked by everything she says and does. I love watching her fight, so graceful, but deadly. She's bloody perfect she is." Spike reveled in his mental picture of the woman he loved, then looked up at Dawn, shook it off a little then added "But the thing is she knows she's perfect so she says, or doesn't say things just to piss me off and keep me from her side. That what you wanted to hear little bit?"

"Well maybe a bit more than I was expecting. You really were a poet before you became a vampire weren't you?"

"Buffy told you that too?" a little hurt by the lack of secrecy between friends or maybe enemies.

"No secret is safe between two sisters, William."

"Oi, none of that, or at least say the full William the Bloody," actually getting a little mad at the use of his real name "There's a reason I made a new name for myself, people start finding out what my real name is they'll lose respect for me, or at least forget they're suppos'ta be afraid of me."

"Okay, sorry Spike, I won't say it again."

"Thanks, luv."

"No problem, so were you shot down once and for all or do you still think you got a shot?" Dawn pried.

"I'm not sure. Buffy assures me it'll never work, I'm gonna live forever, she's gonna die a mortal life, if she's lucky. And that I'm not a 'healthy' relationship for her, whatever that means."

"Did she forget she dated Angel for three years?"

"Past is the past sweet bit, she's learned from it and isn't looking to repeat any of the painful parts."

"But you're not gonna lose your soul if you guys do it will you?"

"Dawn?!" appalled that she'd be asking him about sex with her sister.

"What isn't that the painful part you talking about, you going all evil and killing her friends?"

"No, painful break-up once she figures the relationship is doomed, which apparently she already has. I'm not about to force myself on her… again, but I'm not ready to give up just yet either." a look of defeat clear on his face made the last statement a bit less convincing. "And by the way I'm not bloody cursed, I got my soul through demon trials, I won it back, it ain't going away after a good shag."

"Okay, thanks for clearing that up," trying to sound hopeful, she hated seeing Spike so upset, she saw enough of it the summer they were both without Buffy, but that also meant she knew a few ways to try and cheer the vampire up, or at least distract him for a while. "So, we got a bit till Willow's ready to work the mojo. Wanna play some Rummy?" She asked reaching for the cards at the far end of the table.

"Sure little bit," forcing a smile on his face, as she started to shuffle the cards "You always know how ta cheer me up."