"A Slayer should see them anyway. Without thinking. Without looking."

-Giles

One week had not damped her rage. Angel had come in to her territory and had tried, and failed, to make her friends work behind her back. For her it wasn't the first time he had done this to her, a head crammed with memories filled with him doing this to her assured her of that. Not trusting her enough to tell her the truth, treating her like a child when she was anything but. In that first life it had hurt, in this one it just pissed her off. Though good had come out of it here, her friends had stood up for her. Before they would have cowered, agreed, for her own good. This time they had seen what Angel was doing and had cast him out in disgust, then they'd come running for answers. She hadn't told them much. Only that Spike, and thus Drusilla, were to be stopped but not harmed and she had promised to explain all later. Giles and Xander had stayed behind to question her more, and she had told them what she could, but it had touched her that they had never once questioned her decision; they had only wanted more information. That they trusted her to do the right thing was a source of relief. It was more than she had ever gotten from them in that other life. Still her anger hadn't diminished, her patience was gone and if Angel didn't show his face soon by the PTB she'd pull a Riley and find a plastic stake (Though she'd probably stab him in the leg or something, she wasn't that cruel).

The problem she thought scathingly is he's disappeared off the face of the planet. The Patnja had been unable to locate them but, then, the poor things had been having a bit of a hard time of it lately. While other demons had learned of the Slayers promise to protect the child-like demons few were willing to believe such a treaty could extend to them. So the Patnja had been out casted, something they had assured her they were fine with. Believing that the others would come around in time. Buffy hoped they would too but that didn't help her now. So the anger simmered, mixed in with an ache that echoed through her. Spike was here, had been here for a week at least, and she hadn't seen him. Neither hide nor hair. It was getting to her, on top of which parent-teacher night was coming. She was a little nervous; the first time around this hadn't gone so well. The second time seemed to be going better, she'd kept herself out of trouble for the most part but she had also been present in nearly every incident that had occurred in school for the last year and a half.

Snyder might not be on her like he had been before but he was still watchful, still careful. Her mother knew the truth now and was managing to be supportive and understanding and so there was little danger that Snyder could say anything that would shock her. Things were different but she was still nervous, her body itching in anticipation. It had been the day they had first fought, both testing the waters of the dance and, really, where they began. He had come sooner this time, she understood him better than he could imagine this time but part of her felt that something was going to happen. Something that would change them the way it had that night. But with so much different...There was no way to tell if it would bring them together or tear them apart.

"Buffy!?" The voice broke her out of her thoughts, making her glance up at her friends ranged around her. She stared at them for a moment, confused, before offering a half-hearted, "Hey." Jesse and Xander shared a meaningful look before they each gripped one of her arms in vice-like grips, pulling her up until her feet dangled inches off the ground. Instinct warred with laughter as Willow took an opportunity to wiggle in and tickle her mercilessly. Oz reached down and gripped her jean-clad legs, gently pushing Willow out of the way, as they turned her so that her hair dangled inches off the ground.

"What are you doing?" She demanded between a spattering of giggles. Cordelia and Amy appeared on her left, Amy smiling gently and Cordelia smirking victoriously.

"Well you just seem so preoccupied lately." Willow began from somewhere beyond her line of sight.

"We decided to kidnap you." Cordelia finished with expertly masked amusement.

"Kidnap me to where?" It, briefly, occurred to her that no one was around which meant lunch was over and there was no one around to save her. Jesse fixed his grip and smiled down at her.

"You'll see."

The stars were changing again. Miss Edith didn't talk to her anymore and the stars kept changing places. Her little Willy was dead and gone, burnt up until even the ash was gone. She could taste it every time she kissed him, a taste of death. He had always tasted like that and she had loved it because she wanted it so bad. But that death was others death, people who would die anyway. She knew because she saw and she picked and always for the death because life was something she couldn't understand. Didn't want to. The death she tasted now was different, it was IN him and it wouldn't go out. He was infecting everything with it and she was so hungry.

She blamed the sun. The sun had touched her Willy, her Spike, and found its way inside. It had burnt him up but he didn't know it. The ashes gone but somehow he remained and the sun had stayed. Too bright. A light with only a splotch of darkness, darkness with a splotch of light. Bright and Dark and all she wanted was dark, dark, dark. Whispers changed, people who died didn't die, people who lived who didn't live. She screamed and raged and cried. Willy tried to stop her, tried to hold her but he was getting brighter and brighter by the second and she didn't want the sun. She didn't want to be warm again, she liked the cold. She needed Miss Edith. Miss Edith always told her what to do, what to say. Miss Edith loved her and Daddy loved her and Spike never had. Not the way she needed. Spike CARED when all she wanted was the love and the loneliness.

She wanted Daddy, where was Daddy!

Spike held Drusilla's thrashing body against him until she quieted down. Normally he would have done anything but hold her back but, since they had started towards Sunnydale, she had been hurting herself. Slashing deep into her own skin to drink the blood that still coursed through her veins. Normally this would have been a minor annoyance but she hadn't been feeding. He had tried everything he could think of and he was exhausted for the first time. For the first time in over a century he wished, desperately, that she could look after herself for just this once. She wasn't the only one dying. He couldn't eat anymore. Oh he fed often enough but he couldn't enjoy the hamburger and the fries anymore. Nothing tasted good, not compared to the Slayers blood. It was pathetic. He killed two slayers before, he had sampled both. Neither had done this to him.

It was like fire had been racing through his body and for the first time, in a long time, he had been warm. Her blood had coated him in warmth and, when the warmth slipped away, all others had been appalling. He drank to survive, but he no longer enjoyed it. It explained the visions, the fantasies. Her blood was a drug his demon yearned for. So once he had his fill and consumed every drop of it, he'd find Angelus and hope the Slayer hadn't lied about sire's blood helping his dear Princess. Dru kept insisting he should wait, wait or burn. Ahh but he'd never been able resist playing with fire.

So far things were going well.

Snyder had been tight-lipped but essentially silent. Her teachers, smiling, expressed how good of a student she was. There were compliments, a few grumblings but, all in all, it had been utterly painless. There was no sign of Spike. The Master was dead, the Anointed one never created which meant that there was no big ceremony for Spike to get bored of, no reason for him to attack until he wanted to. She was disappointed. Snyder pulled her mother to the side while Buffy moved forward to meet her friends. Mid-step the lights flickered out. Her breath hitched, he was here.

Buffy hurried back to her mother, pausing only long enough to catch Jesse's eyes. The goofy smile slipped, his eyes hardened. Willow caught the look and instantly tensed beside him; one by one they all took on a steely look. Jesse nodded and began issuing orders, Cordelia moving elegantly forward to quickly and forcefully, encouraged everyone to get into the Library.

Buffy reached her mother and Snyder two seconds after Cordelia began corralling everyone. Her hand landed heavily on her mothers shoulder. Pressing the delicate chains that criss-crossed across them hard into her skin. Her mother turned, dismissing Snyder instantly.

"Buffy what-?"

"Mom. You and Snyder need to go to the library, barricade yourselves in. Amy, Jesse, Cordelia, Oz and Jenny will be there."

"No...Buffy no. Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure."

It was a credit to her mother, to how much she accepted, that Joyce patted her daughters cheek gently.

"Be carefully Buffy."

"I will."

Her mother grabbed Snyder just as the doors on the other side of the hall burst open. With a sharp tug she pulled the man towards the library. Jesse and his half of the Scoobies ranged around the large group protectively.

Buffy felt Xander brush against her as he positioned himself on her left. Giles huffed softly behind her, passing a stake to Willow who took point on Buffy's right. Through the doors in-strode Spike. Six vampires ranged around him, weaving around each other with a kind of feral grace. One of the vampires spotted Buffy, hissed Slayer and rushed at her. Xander raised his crossbow, dusting the vamp with expert precision. Everyone stopped moving, Willows soft grumbling thunderous in the sudden silence.

"He didn't even say Boo." Buffy's lips quirked upwards. Spike let out a hoot of laughter.

"There you are luv."

"You shouldn't have come here Spike." She countered words severe but tone laughing. She saw his eyes flash yellow, suddenly remembered.

"You messed up my doilies and stuff." He blinked, his words coming from her mouth. Quick. Mustn't forget she's a quick one. The vampires around him launched themselves at her and were met with stake and steel. Xander had dispatched a second vamp with his crossbow before he jumped forward, adrenaline and months of training allowing him to tackle a third vamp to the ground. Willow slid neatly under one vamp, tripped a second onto the ground. Quick as a cat she was on him, stake already arching downward. Buffy rolled forward, towards Spike, as Giles slammed a stake into the vamp Willow had slid under with just enough time left over to narrowly avoid an incoming swipe from the sixth vamp.

Buffy rose, unsurprised to find Spike standing nonchalantly before her. He tilted his head towards where her friends were fighting his remaining three lackeys, "Got 'em cleaned up quick kitten."

Buffy nodded thoughtfully, "They're pretty good aren't they."

"For dinner maybe." Buffy huffed, hands rising to her hips. "Oh Ha Ha. Real funny."

Spike smiled openly, easily. He struck. Buffy had been waiting for it, expecting it, and blocked it. Her hand flashing in front of his face, his ring securely on her finger. The dance began. Twirling around each other, hands blurring rapidly, attack, block. She felt her heart jumping in her chest, her muscles quivering with excitement. Finally, her body was saying, I can go all out. She ducked under the punch aimed at her head, kicked out towards his stomach. He caught her foot, twisted. She twisted with it, flipping him around and freeing her foot. The dance continued a bubble of joy welled up in her. It was like old times, the only times they had ever gotten along before. This dance, inches over the abyss of death, except she didn't want to kill him. She blinked, felt his fist slam into her stomach, felt her legs crumple beneath her. Dammit he was holding back last time. She'd forgotten, for that brief second, that this Spike wasn't hers. This Spike wanted her dead.

She felt his weight settle on her, heard her friends call out.

"Spike!" She whispered fiercely, green eyes rising to meet sun-bright yellow. Something flashed in the golden depths, "Gotta get you outta my head Slayer. Drain you dry. End it." The anguish in his voice made her heart break for him. She remembered a time in a different life, remembered hearing that voice before. Remembering being the cause, remember condemning him for it. Tears welled in her eyes, glowing like emeralds, as she tilted her head to the side neck offered freely. Snake-quick he struck, teeth sinking deep. Buffy had expected pain, always before there had been pain. Unimaginable and aching, she had felt the blood being drained from her. Even Dracula had been unable to mask that single horrible feeling.

This bite. His teeth slammed into her with impossible care, teeth sliding into vein delicately. She felt his muscles tense as he took that first sip, felt heat course through her. Her eyes snapped closed in a desperate attempt to hold back a moan. Her arms rose up, not to push him away but to cradle him against her. Hands slipping under coat and shirt, pressing against the cool marble of his stomach. Fingers splayed, tracing every line, nails digging, clawing against him as the heat intensified and pooled in her belly. Lost in the ecstasy of it. With a sudden, wrenching, force she felt Spike push away from her. Hands clasped to his head, a scream of utter agony ripped from his throat.

"Spike!?" Buffy leaped forward, forgetting her friends behind her. She reached for the blond vamp, caught him as he collapsed into her arms. Jerking wildly and still screaming, anger mixed inexorably with pain. Buffy pulled him against her, stilling him as much as she could. She felt someone move closer, crouched more protectively over Spikes defenseless form.

"Hey." Xander's voice was soft, encouraging. She'd never heard it before. Her eyes opened, raised. Xander smiled gently and jumped over Spikes slowly stilling body. Without fanfare he grasped one of Spikes arms tightly and pulled it firmly over his shoulder.

"Come one Buffster. Better get Evil Dead outta here before Snyder comes back. If that happens we'll be in real trouble."

Buffy choked back a sob. Xander was helping her, willingly. He was letting her go, completely and totally. They were finally just friends to him. Miracles did happen but now she needed another one. She nodded, Willow ran up to help gently dabbing at the blood that dribbled from the twin punctures at her neck.

Ok Everyone I'm BACK! ^_^ Short Chapter, I know, and there's five more to go. I underestimated how long it would take to get everything back together so I haven't finished transferring them to the comp yet. Soon. Until then I hope you enjoy this peek of what's to come and, as always, thank you Ginar for being so awesome and thank you all for waiting so patiently for these chapters.

Thank you