A/N: Okay just to alleviate any possible confusion (along with the fact that I believe I stupidly forgot to mention in a previous chapter) Xander and Anya are married. Hell's Bells went the same as in canon right up to where Xander killed the demon. After that Xander still almost called the wedding off until Giles talked to him, showing him how different he truly was from his biological family.

Beneath You

(Nighttime; Summers' Residence)

A few days later Dawn was headed back to bed after getting herself a glass of water when she felt worry and fear coming from Buffy and Tara's room. After a brief hesitation she slowly opened the door with her eyes to the ground, moving her gaze up slowly, not knowing if her sister and her sister's girlfriend were decently covered. She saw that Tara had a robe on and Buffy was covered by the bed sheets. It was then she noticed Buffy in the midst of one of her slayer dreams thrashing about. Tara was worried having never witnessed this before and was trying to shake her lover awake. Dawn gently placed her hand on Tara's shoulder, "It's ok Tara. She's not having a nightmare exactly, it's a slayer dream. Trust me it's not time to wake her from it yet." Tara nodded, deferring to the young woman seeing that she had experience in this situation, though it did little to lessen her worry for her girlfriend.

When Buffy's thrashing began to slow and she started whimpering Dawn gave her a firm, but not too violent slap to her face, waking her instantly. Buffy sat up instantly and quickly regained her bearings, reaching to Tara who wrapped her in a comforting hug. Dawn smile at the pair, happy with how close they had become, that Buffy didn't seek comfort from her nightmares from her sister anymore, "Do you need me to get you anything? Like a glass of water? Shot of whiskey?" Dawn asked with a teasing smile.

Buffy tried to glare at her sister, but was unable to keep it from turning into a smile as she felt Tara's giggling against her, "No thanks Dawn. You should probably go back to bed; I'll tell you all about my dream in the morning." Dawn nodded giving both girls a brief hug before returning to her room.

"How did Dawn know I was having a bad dream?" Buffy asked after she had calmed down enough.

"I don't really know. I'm guessing she sensed my worry when I couldn't wake you up. Then she came in and told me it was a slayer dream and that we couldn't wake you up until a certain point. She's really a rather remarkable you woman." Tara placed a loving kiss on Buffy's soft lips, "We should get some sleep as well." She added. She and Buffy lay back down with Tara pressed protectively against the smaller woman's back, her arms wrapped around her lover. Buffy settled in pressing herself further back into the comforting embrace, resting her hand on the loving arms wrapped around her. The lovers slowly drifted back to sleep. From beneath you it devours? Cryptic much? Buffy thought before she was lulled to sleep by Tara's warm embrace.

The next morning Buffy and Willow slowly made their way downstairs where Tara and Dawn were already almost finished preparing breakfast. "Mmmm…bacon, eggs, and is that fresh coffee I smell?" Buffy asked as she stepped into the kitchen ahead of the still groggy red head.

Dawn walked over to them as they sat at the island in the middle of the kitchen. Smiling as she placed a mug of fresh coffee in front of each of the newly recently awakened women. Willow lifted her mug close to her face, inhaling deeply the aroma of the dark brew she closed her eyes and smiled "Buffy, I think we should keep her."

Buffy smirked and took a sip of her coffee before replying, "I dunno Wills it's a lot of responsibility. You'll have to feed and water her, take her on walks, make sure she's properly house trained…"

Dawn in faux anger reached for the coffee mugs, "Well since I'm obviously not appreciated around here, I'll just take my coffee and go."

Reflexively hugging the mugs of precious liquid to themselves the two women quickly left off their teasing, "No Dawn, we were just kidding." Buffy backpedaled.

"Yeah you're like the awesomest person we know, you and Tara both." Added Willow.

"Oh we know we are." Tara said as she and Dawn fist bumped.

Dawn continued, "Drink your coffee ladies, breakfast is almost ready."

After breakfast Xander arrived at the Summers' house after dropping his wife off at the Magic Box. Buffy relayed her dream to her friends present. "Ok so let me get this straight…a couple guys in black hooded robes chased some pink haired girl through the dark halls of some night club, they catch in an alley where she tries to fight them off until they stab her with a weird curved blade, oh and they don't have eyes…did I get everything?" Xander asked running through the simplified version of Buffy's dream.

"Yep, my slayer dream in a nutshell."

"Is this a "call in sick to work and break out the demon books" level emergency, or is it a "research can wait till after school and work" type thing?" Willow asked still thinking over what Buffy had just told them.

"Nah, I think this'll keep for a few hours anyway." Replied the slayer.

(Sunnydale high)

Xander, Buffy, Willow, and Dawn carpool to the school, due to the fact that the part of the school still under construction includes the main parking lot. The four go their separate ways and Buffy is given a short rundown of her duties as a counselor by Principal Wood, "You shouldn't have to worry Buffy, You're the youngest and most approachable member of the faculty. The students are gonna want to come in and talk to you, when they do remember, don't evaluate them, just listen." Explained the man.

"Can I give detention?" Buffy asked, suddenly turning to him after taking in her small office/cubicle space an almost childish look of excitement on her face.

"Fine by me, a little authority never hurt anyone. Remember also that aren't here to be there friend. If you give some them that impression they'll eat you alive."

"You heard about Principal Flutie right?" She asked and upon seeing the slight confusion on Principal Wood's face she continued, "Forget it."

Right then the bell rang and the principal wished her luck and she settled into her chair, hoping for a good day. After having no students come in to see her Buffy decided to take a break and ventured down to the basement in hopes of finding Spike again, but she had no such luck.

(Nighttime Summers' Residence)

After a long day Willow, Dawn, Tara, and Buffy were relaxing after eating supper before willow and Buffy went out on patrol, when Xander and Anya came in with a woman named Nancy, who had been walking her dog when it was suddenly pulled underground through a suddenly formed hole in the sidewalk. Spike appeared in the room, surprising everyone and receiving death glares from Tara and Dawn while Xander had his typical look of disgust that he saved specifically for vampires, Willow was uncertain what to think, not knowing whether glare at the blond vamp herself or if she should try and sneak out of the room, Nancy was similarly confused while Anya retained her usual uncaring mask.

"Sounds like you could use some help. Fortunately, you've got me." Spike said as he leaned against the door.

At that moment Anya decided to volunteer to drive Nancy home, not wanting to witness whatever drama might happen.

"I don't think you're anything close to what she needs." Tara responded anger dripping from her voice.

"Or what she wants for that matter." Dawn added bitterly.

"Look I don't really wanna be here surrounded by people who don't particularly like me, but we need to talk. Do you wanna do that here or privately?"

"I don't think there's anything that the two of you have to talk about that's private, you can talk here in front of us." Tara stated firmly and Dawn nodded her agreement.

Spike just stood silently waiting for Buffy to make her decision. She looked from Tara and Dawn to Spike several time before following the vampire from the room. Upsetting Tara who quickly retreated to her and Buffy's room. Willow made a move to follow the blonde witch, but Dawn stopped her, telling her to keep an eye on Spike, "If he does something stupid, burn him." Dawn ordered coldly.

As Dawn made her way upstairs she overheard part of the conversation, "…last you saw me, I was out of my head. I mean I spent last week living in the school basement." Dawn stopped in her tracks her face showing barely contained rage, which was now focused on her sister.

"You saw him?" Dawn asked her voice surprisingly calm.

"Well…yes I did…"

"What? You just forgot to mention it?" The younger Summers sister asked condescendingly.

"Things were crazy down there, I saved your life remember? We'll talk about this later."

"Sure, whatever you want." Agreed Xander and Dawn a bit dejectedly.

"Cause that's the only time you let us in Buffy, when you want. I thought we were past this. Well you know what sis? I'm done, I am not goin to try anymore if you won't let me in I'm done with you, and if you think you're still gonna pretend to be involved in my life, well don't cause why would I want advice and guidance from someone as fucked up as you!? If you need me I'll be upstairs, trying to get your girlfriend to calm down." Dawn finished her eyes blazing before she continued up the stair to make sure Tara was okay.

"I'm serious Buffy, I'm not here to try and atone. I'm here to help with what's coming. I aint connected like you obviously with the dream and visions. I'm just a guy with his ear to the ground but even I can feel it. Whatever it is it's so big, ugly, and damned it makes you and me look like little bitty puzzle pieces. Please tell me if I'm wrong, I'd be more than happy to hear that in this case."

"Everything about you is well beyond wrong Spike, but you're right that something is coming. And since when did you become the savior? Champion of the people?"

"I'm not, I have no allusions of any real redemption, but I can help if you'll let me."

"Well right now we have a smaller big bad to deal with. I guess you can patrol with me, we're looking for some sort of burrowing demony thing. Not sure on the details. Willow tell Tara and Dawn where I went, hopefully this'll be taken care of quickly."

Before Spike could follow Buffy out the door Dawn came back downstairs and stopped him, "Spike? You sleep right? You vampires…you sleep?"

"Uh yeah." Spike replied quite confused. "What's your point?"

"Obviously I can't take you in a fight or anything, you being a skilled master vampire and everything. Even with a chip in your head, but you do sleep. If you hurt my sister at all…touch her. You're gonna wake up on fire." She finished her tone ice cold and her face showing the promise behind her threat.

After some investigative work they found out that the burrowing thing was a Sluggoth demon which is what Nacy's ex was turned into after a talk with a vengeance demon. Buffy sent Xander to try and talk the demon into reversing the spell while she and Spike went looking for Nancy and swooping in at the last minute to save her. Spike started hitting the Sluggoth with a metal rod he ripped from the side of a building. As he went for the killing blow the vengeance demon reversed the spell and Spike's strike sent the metal rod through the now human male's shoulder causing his chip to react. "Sorry." He said as he pulled the rod back out of the man's shoulder. With the shock the chip gave him he reverted back to the same crazy babble he was plagued with the last time Buffy saw him. The crazed vamp ran off as Xander and Anya arrived on the scene, Buffy left them with the injured man while she took off back to the house to check on Tara.

Buffy entered the house "Tara's up in your room, she stopped crying about an hour after you left. Don't go to bed without working through this, that's how it started with mom and dad." Dawn told her from the kitchen as she finished a bit of homework that she had put off.

Buffy nodded and made her way upstairs, she felt guilty for just leaving and not even thinking how Tara would feel about the situation. What Dawn had said to her early was still ringing in her ears. She was right, things were going so good and you put it all at risk for your undead ex-lover? I really am fucked up aren't I? Gods I hope Tara will talk to me. She cautiously opened their bedroom door and stepped inside. Tara was sitting in a chair, staring out the window with her knees drawn up to her chest, "Did you fix that ladies problem?" She asked without turning.

"Yeah, turns out it was a vengeance demon, but Xander and Anya got her to revoke the curse so nothing died…except the dog."

"That's better than it could've gone." Tara said coldly. "Why did you go with him?" Her voiced wavered with the question and she was on the verge of tears again.

Buffy walked over next to Tara's chair and knelt in front of her resting her head against her girlfriends legs, "I know you're worried about what he tried to do to me, and probably worried due to the history I have with him, but do you trust me that it's really just that…history?"

"I want to Buffy, really I do. Could you not hear how I felt before you chose to go talk with him. I can understand if it was "slayer business", but you said nothing. You barely acknowledged that Dawn and I had spoken. How was I supposed to feel?"

"I'm sorry honey, I really am and we definitely have more to talk about, but, and please don't hate me, but I came back to check you were ok and to get Dawn before going back out. There's something off about Spike and in more than just the evil demon sense. So I want to take Dawn out with me to make sure he isn't causing trouble. Can you be ok with that?"

"Ok, but Buffy, please stop pushing me…us away. We love you and care about you, but if you keep shutting people out eventually they stop trying to get in. I'm not upset with you, a bit disappointed perhaps, but we can go to bed with that and talk later. Be careful, both of you."

Dawn and Buffy tracked Spike to a chapel in one of the graveyards. He stepped out of the shadows his shirt in his hands, "Didn't work, didn't work…costume…didn't help. Goodnight." He said dropping the shirt to the ground.

"No more mind games Spike." Buffy said confused.

"No more mind games, no more mind."

"Tell me what happened to you?" She asked as she tried to touch the recently healed scars on his chest.

He shrunk away from her, wrapping his arms around himself, "Hey, hey, hey! No touching. Am I flesh? Am I flesh to you? Feed on flesh, my flesh. Nothing else, not a spark…fine flesh then. Solid through." He starts unbuttoning his pants, "Get it hard, service the girl."

"Stop!" Buffy ordered grabbing his arms, he slipped from her grasp and grabbed her throat in return and she threw him across the room.

"Right. Girl doesn't wanna be serviced. Because there's no spark. Ain't we in the soddin' engine?"

"Spike have you completely lost your mind?"

"Yeah, Where've you been all night?"

"You just thought you'd come back and…be with me?"

"First time for everything."

"All you get is me listening. Tell me what happened."

"I tried to find it of course."

"Find what?"

"The spark. The missing... the piece... that fit. That would make me fit. Because you didn't want... God, I can't. Not with you looking." He stood from where she had thrown him and walked to the front of the chapel. "I dreamed of killing you." Buffy picks up a sharp piece of a broken pew. "I think they were dreams. So weak. Did you make me weak? Thinking of you, holding myself. Spilling useless buckets of salt over your…ending. Angel…he should have warned me." Buffy now starts to understand what he's talking about. "He makes a good show of forgetting, but it's here, in me... all the time. The spark…I wanted to give you... what you deserve. And I got it. They put the spark in me. And now all it does is burn." He wanders around the interior of the small building, walking past Buffy down the main aisle

"Your soul."

Spike laughed now, "Bit worse for lack of use."

"You got your soul back…how?"

"It's what you wanted, right? It's what you wanted, right?! And-and now everybody's in here, talking. Everything I did, everyone I…and him. And it. The other...the thing...beneath...beneath you. It's here, too. Everybody...they all just tell me go. Go...to hell."

"Why? Why would you do that?"

"Buffy, shame on you. Why does a man do what he mustn't? For her. To be hers. To be the kind of man who would nev…" He got to the point where he was nearly crying, "To be a kind of man. And she shall look on him with forgiveness...and everybody will forgive and love." Spike walked up to a large cross at the front of the chapel. "He will be loved." He draped himself over the cross, leaning against it as his skin started to burn. "So everybody's ok right?"

Buffy cried and he finished saying, "C-can we rest now? Buffy? Can we rest?"