The Scoobies had left for Xander's apartment a few hours ago , saying they would return after they discussed things. To say the rest of them were hanging out would be a terrible injustice to the tension hanging thickly in the air.

Giles was polishing his glasses with enough fervor that the glass would start wearing out soon.

Tara was talking to a still very upset Anya, rubbing her back and just being there for the girl in her time of need.

Faith was looking off into space lost in thought with a lovely little scowl on her face.

Spike was sitting in Giles' arm chair grinning like the cat that ate the canary swallowing down his fifth or sixth glass of Giles' finest whiskey. He was brimming with energy and needed to go for a walk or get in a fight or something.

"Right then," Spike stated as he jumped up and gained the attention of everyone in the room, "Feel the need to stretch my legs and that bunch of nitwits will talk and cry and hug till dawn so I will be back sometime before then" He kisses his girl on the head and nods at the others. "Tara here has my mobile if they get back early" and without waiting for a word from anyone else he glides out the door.

He walked the entire length of the town and back again with a spring in his step and a song in his heart. If it didn't make him such a git , he would spin like he was an extra in The Sound of Music. This day was going so damn well. He got the girl and saved the day with Faith and reveled at how that must piss off Buffy that an "evil soulless thing" could be a better damn hero than her. Add to that the fact that he now had his own little band of merry men who were pretty sure to get a pass out of this town and onto their own adventure free from Buffy and her idiot groupies and this place which held so many bad memories.

He turned the corner into the alley with a spin and that's when the taser wire hit him. He'd felt it enough to know what came after that. "Target Acquired, Hostile 17 has been neutralized, Agent Finn how shall we proceed?" the blurred face sounded off before Spike slipped deep into unconsciousness.

And above it all a glowing set of yellow eyes looked on in anger.

Buffy was pissed to say the least . She had listened to Spike and they had finally made their decision and here he was gallivanting around and totally disregarding her own opinion. She thought he was really showing a change and then he pulls something like this … he was just being …. so damn Spike-like! She wasn't going to kill him she was just going to cut pieces off him and let him see them turn to dust , the inconsiderate bastard !

When the knock came at the air and she swung open the door and all the anger and air went out of her when it wasn't Spike standing there. Angel smiled a little but had a worried look on his face. There were a few awkward hellos and then awkward silence until an irritated Giles yelled for Angel to damn well come in already.

"Spike has been taken … by the army boys … headed up by your damned boyfriend" Angel blurted out .

"He's not my boyfriend anymore" she softly said and held Angel's eyes with her own.

" For fuck sakes, the world could be burning down and you two would still stop with the moony eyes." Faith growled as she started making her way for the door. Buffy grabbed her by the shoulder and spun her around and ducked automatically to avoid Faith's fist.

"Let go of me, I'm gonna go kick some military ass while you suck face, you stupid bitch" Faith yelled point blank into Buffy's face.

Giles got in between the two slayers and prayed it wouldn't be his last action " We've all got to calm down and think this out and stop acting like bloody children. Now everyone, SIT THE HELL DOWN". Everyone quickly found a spot to sit and stared at the normally calm former librarian as the vein on his forehead bulged.

Giles adjusted himself and sighed "Now then, how shall we take care of this problem ?"

He was met with blank stares from the Scoobies, sad stares from Anya and Tara and Anger seething off Faith, she was not one to sit still.

Xander chimed in "We have faced these guys before and lost badly and we got one of us killed... and add into the party the not killable machine that is Adam we would have to be a Megazord and snap all together to even dent the guy"

Giles perked up at those words " In your own roundabout way, Xander, you are correct we need a unification spell. Anya, you, Tara and I are going to hit the books. Willow and Angel, get that techno-mage spike knew on the phone or the computer and figure out something, Xander, get us a vehicle and weapons from Buffy's house. Buffy and Faith …. try not to kill one another because we are going to need you both. And with that everyone was a well oiled machine with Giles as the conductor.

Spike woke up to those all to familiar walls and he reached for the back of his head almost instinctively. They were not stitches so at least they didn't know the implant had been magically held at bay. But if he had his way, they were gonna find out in a bloody spectacular way. He stretched out and his bones cracked as he got up on his feet.

"Home Sweet Home, ain't it soldier boy" He grinned at the now seething Riley Finn who stood by the entrance too his cell clenching his jaw and fist in an alternating fashion. "Here with my continental breakfast is it ? Gotta say, it's not what I expected of an establishment of this calibre. No turn down service, no mint on my pillow, you are gonna get such a scathing Yelp review, it will bloody well make your head turn."

He could see the tendons on his neck tightening and the red come into Captain Cardboard's face. *Come on* Spike thought *just step into this cell thinking I'll be a good little monkey and I will peel your face like an apple and gouge your eyes out with the back of my thumb* he leered at the soldier and rocked back and forth on his feet , just trying to tempt the soldier into letting the force field down. He would paint the sterile walls of this place red with those bastard's blood, chipping him was inhumane and he was about to return the favor with his own style of inhumanity. But Riley didn't take the bait, he hit a button and a few blood bags hit the floor. "Drink one or the room fills with Holy Water mist, hurts so bad it makes you undead bastards gasp , then it gets into those lungs of yours and ooooh boy" Riley grinned for the first time and the look of it even took Spike back with his spitefulness. He shrugged and grabbed the bag, couldn't play his ace in the hole yet and figured with a look like that Riley wasn't going to be quick at all. The soldier popped a few pills as Spike paced .

"See you are taking some big boy pills, you think bulking up is gonna make the slayer your little cuddle buddy again? Girl needs a little monster in her man and you, my stinking glob of sack sweat, just don't measure up" Spike grabbed his crotch lewdly and placed the emphasis on the word measure.

"This is all your fault 17, if you had have been here you could have saved the wolf. She wouldn't have asked me to try and save them and I wouldn't have had to put them on high alert because I'm not betraying the flag for a furred out freako" Riley spat at the astounded .

"So let me get this straight ... you unbelievably ignorant little git of a man ... you, who I met all of once, think I drove Buffy, who I've only interacted with to your knowledge once since you've been in a relationship with her, to leave you by not helping with the wolf situation, when I was literally a nights ride away in a completely different city mind you, purely out of spite ... is that the long and the short of it?"

Spike just looked directly into Riley's eyes as he struggled with a retort, any retort , to make it seem like something much more important and intelligent than Spike was making it seem but open and closed his mouth three times with nothing coming out.

Spike chucked to himself and sat back down on the floor " Right... so what I'm going to do now is drink this highly drugged bag of blood and pray the effects are instantaneous, because I'd rather be strapped to a slab with Dr. Frankenstein shoving a satellite receiver straight up my arse without the assistance of lubricant than listen to one more bloody second of your Sweet Valley High, shoulda wrote it in my journal, gonna go cry on a satin pink pillow scorned lover bullshit. Thanks so very much for coming out." And with that he tore into the bag.

It was the following dusk as everyone stood out and reflected on the battle that was to come. It had almost taken the full 24 hours for them to modify the spell just right but they had even gotten Willow and Angel to read over it and everyone was in agreement that it would work.

Xander felt guilty as he pulled Oz's van around to the apartment gate. It was the only one that would fit them all but he still felt partly responsible for his death. When Riley and Buffy started getting serious it just left him, Anya and Willow and he knew the girls wouldn't get long because they had tried. He had told Anya that she was in pain and his best friend since high school. Anya had been upset but said she needed to be more understanding to be more human so she stomached the time he spent away from her and with Willow. The problem was that the more time they had spent together the closer they had gotten. First they had refrained thinking it was that same forbidden fruit that had happened in high school. But that one night they had slipped and made love had been the best night of his life. They couldn't keep away from each other after that because the connection just couldn't be denied any longer. He cared for Anya but Willow was his soul mate. For some reason they hid it from Anya and everyone else, Buffy stayed almost exclusively with Riley and Xander blamed his odd job schedule and the deception continued. When Oz had shown up, Anya had been overjoyed , finally she could get her Xander back from the mopey Willow, and she rushed him over to the dorm room. The sight that greeted them had turned the calm man into the wolf and led to his capture and eventual death at the hands of the Initiative. Sure, Riley had betrayed them and had almost got them captured but it was Xander's actions that set everything in motion.

His hands gripped the steering wheel as the tears stung his eyes, he couldn't look at any of them. He felt like his emotions would rip him apart but then a cool hand he knew all to well glide up and caressed his cheek, it left quickly enough so the others wouldn't notice but as he glanced back he saw eyes as tortured as his own looking back at him with love and concern and he knew he wasn't alone, he never would be again.

Tara could feel the tension as they loaded into the van. She could feel the sadness pouring out of Anya, how she felt all alone even in this large group. She had to be her rock in this had seen too many fractured psyches in the past few months. People with such love in their hearts, beaten down by an unforgiving world. Such wonderful friends that she had the pleasure of trying to help. All they needed was that one person who understood, knew what it felt like to just be on the fringes of love and hope, but never quite getting there. This girl was a little bit different though, Spike and Faith had their tough shells to guard them, this one had lost her shell, she couldn't quite put her finger on it but this girl had just been completely vulnerable and exposed and the people around her had unintentionally gutted her. But this girl had a job to do and she was going to do it , the steely resolve in her eyes belied the person falling apart on the inside. She pulled one of the rings off her fingers and look at it quietly and then looked up at the stone-faced Anya.

"Before my mother died she gave me this and said , some days, Tara , you may feel like the world is against you, some days you are knocked so far down in the dirt you don't have the strength to push yourself up, and some days even if you are surrounded by people you feel so alone you want to do nothing but cry. And on those days, baby girl , I want you to look down at this ring and realize that even on your darkest day devoid of any hope , you got someone out there that cares about you."

Tara nodded and wiped a tear from her eye after she finished. She looked at the ring for another moment or two and then held it out for Anya.

Faith felt a little antsy and for the first time in her life it wasn't the coming fight that played on her mind. The book geeks had formulated a pretty damn good plan and it seemed a lock that everything was going to run like clock-work. It's what came after that bothered her. She had woken to a whole new world and all se could think of was getting even with Buffy and then have a good old fashioned slayer death to get back to that peaceful sleep that had even eluded her in her coma and now here she was with the object of her anti-affection ready to save the world with a crew that had declared her part of their own. It just wasn't right, she was the wrong side of the tracks personified , a cautionary tale that the good girls loathed and the good boys abused themselves behind closed doors over and here she was saving the world with a watcher and a crew and everything. She looked over at Giles and he gave her a warm smile. Faith chuckled inside her own head, immortal demon father figures and stabs in the gut she could take, this taste of a normal functional life (for a slayer anyway) was just plain weird.

Buffy and Angel kept on glancing at each other and looking away when the other noticed

Spike head felt like it was filled with cotton when he came to. He kinda liked over-zealous Riley cause the boy didn't think straight ... sure the blood was drugged but it was still blood and Spike drank four full bags before he had succumbed so he was very very stoned but he had a full tank. He could feel the straps straining under his tugging and knew it would only be a matter of time before they gave way.

It started to rain as the van stopped in front of Lowell House. After Giles made Faith go over and over the plan they were allowed out and Tara lifted her face to the rain and it's coolness invigorated her. They were going to rescue Spike, Buffy was going to kill Adam and then the rest of everyone's life could be off to a nifty start. Faith stretched herself a bit and cracked her neck and told the two girls it was go time.

They made it to the hidden elevator with no interruptions surprisingly and Faith swiped the mojoed key card, waited for the body scan to be completed and hopefully fooled by the TM's whatchyamacallits. They all sighed a breath of relief when the doors slid open and they stepped inside. Faith glanced at her watch , the spell should be making it's way throughout the facility now, locking out any inside influence and throwing the soldiers into just enough disarray that they could do what they had come to do.

5...4...3...2...1

ALERT LEVEL ORANGE ALERT LEVEL ORANGE. FACILITY LOCKING DOWN. ALL PERSONEL, REPEAT ALL PERSONEL MUST EVACUATE THROUGH EXIT 117A . ALERT LEVEL ORANGE.

"Please preform retinal scan" sounded in the elevator and the girls looked at each other. This was not part of the plan, they didn't have anything for the retinal scan because they weren't aware of this . Anya was pacing and Tara was biting her nails.

"Girls, girls, I got this" Faith said as she leaned back against the elevator.

"Please perform a retinal scuuuuuuurg" The speech jerked and a spark flew as a slayer foot flew into it.

"Please perf -SMASH-"

"Please -SMASH-"

"Thank You" sounded off and the doors slid open.

He timed the pulling on the restraints in time with Riley's fist in the face. He had heard the alert and Riley had not moved. He was kind of catching on quick that this dance between them was off the books and a bit too personal. As that last fist fell the bindings finally broke and he caught Riley's fist as his other one cracked 3 or 4 of the soldier boys ribs.

"Tsk tsk tsk, it looks like it's time to pay the piper, " he said smirking as he rose off the slab. Riley looked at him in horror, then realization then hatred and surprised Spike with a football tackle. Elbows rained down on Spikes face before he came to his srnses and threw Riley off him with enough force to have him fly through the wall. Spike roared as he barreled through the hole and picked up Riley . His game face appeared as he shook the soldier like a rad doll "I should bloody rip your throat out for all you lot did to me, The chip in the head was almost a death sentence and I have every right to open an artery and dance in the red warmth that spews forth majestically on my face . But you know what... I'm better than you . Unlike you I gave people my word and my word is my bond unlike you you sniveling yellow excuse for a man. The old me would have torn out your intestines and wore them as a tie but you are in luck because there are people that depend on me to be a better man than monster and for some bloody daft reason I can't disappoint them. You get a one time pass, but if I meet you again, I will rip out your heart and feed you your own eyeballs. NOW GOOO!" He roared and Riley had no choice but to flee in the opposite way of the evacuation.

Spike shifted back to his human face and turned to be greeted by two mooning women and one smirking slayer.

"Dude, we totally just broke into here to rescue you and you escape. Way to go, asshole." She laughed as he walked towards Tara and hugged her. He was a little banged up but she didn't care as her lips smashed painfully against his bruises. Spike started walking down the corridor with his arms around Tara while Faith and Anya caught up confused. "Where are we going, Spike?" Tara inquired. "The cells, luv. The cells" He replied.

Whatever ones Spike didn't recognize (which were a lot) luckily Anya did. Being a thousand years old and a very in demand demon had its perks. She not only spouted off names and if they were a threat at all but also their eating habits, weaknesses, powers and a few odd stories for the odd one. Most of the evil ones didn't even fight. They understood that they were threats to the humans but had been locked up and tortured so long that death was the best alternative to staying. Spike would always look them in the eye first to let them know he understood and was sympathetic. The evidence of scars, abuses and even amputations made Anya and Tara weep for even the worst of the lot and Faith even glassed over a bit too.

After cleaning up the pens they took a cart and made their way towards 319.

They reached the Scoobies after they had stopped being the quilt of kickass and they looked pretty drained . Spike was surprised to see Angel there and then realized where he felt his presence and shrugged it off. He nodded at Angel in thanks when he realized that no one would have been the wiser if not for his grand-sire.

Spike stood over the corpse of Adam as both he and Angel heaved him into the basin of chemicals. They were the only ones who could do it because Hydrofluoric acid produced a harmful gas but they had no need to breathe so it worked out well in the wash. As the last piece of metal crumbled to nothing Angel turned to Spike and spoke.

"Maybe we should say something, that thing was a soldier that died in the line of duty and was made a monster by no wishes of his own?"

Spike stepped back as he lit a cigarette and took a deep pull, he reflected for a minute and then shrugged, he made the sign of the cross over the basin " Domo Arigato, Mr Roboto".

Angel snickered and Spike grinned and then looked back on the blank faces of the others as well as Giles furiously rubbing his eyes .

" c'mon … you see … it's a song … and …God, I'm surrounded by a daft bunch of infants"

As Angel was calling in an anonymous tip to the army so they could clean up this mess and shut it down, the rest of them made their way towards the van.

" So you saved the blond, finished off the bad guys and made sure Sunnyhell is safe for another Bloody apocalypse, can me and my lot leave now all peaceable and never to darken your door again?" Spike inquired.

Buffy opened the passenger door and plopped herself down in the seat. She turned to look at the waiting attentive vampire took a deep breath and spoke " You're getting your pass Spike and as much as I hate to say it Faith too."

Faith stiffened at her name being said by that blonde bitch but figured she would be civil and just gave a curt nod as she climbed in the back. Spike followed and as he sat down Buffy turned to look at him once again.

"You see the thing is, you aren't the ones that are going to be leaving" She glanced over at Willow and Xander and nodded before she spoke again.

"We Are."

Riley stalked through the honey-combed caves furiously. He had no thoughts except a seeting burning inside that was a combination of anger and a need for revenge. He would make them all pay. He would find a way to destroy them all if it took every ounce left of life with in him.

" Ohhhhh, my hero you don't know how right you are with what's dancing around in that sweet sweet head of yours ... My big bad lion has a thorn in it's paw … but don't you worry … mummy's going to make it all better."

Riley didn't know where the voice was coming from and spun around and around with his lantern trying to see every inch of the dark. She emerged from the shadows into the light dancing as if floating on air. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen in his entire life and it scared him because he knew she was dead.

" Ohhhh, not dead my hero . Soooo much more than dead. So very much more. Would you like me to show you … show you what I can do … If you want it, I shall give it and you and I and Miss Edith shall have nothing but crumpets and cakes and blood and death … and power, my hero, more power than any one has ever seen"

Her face shifted and her eyes glowed as she held out her hand.

He looked at her with such addoration but then turned to look behind him and his jaw stiffened before he turned around and placed his hand in hers.

She laughed a laugh that seemed to calm the anger just for a little while and her fingertips danced all the way up his arm and then her hands went to his shoulder. He turned and his hand caressed her cheek and he gazed into her eyes.

He didn't know what compelled him to do it but he kissed the nape of her neck and then bit down flowed in his mouth was cold and dead ... and wonderful.

Even she was taken back my this sequence of events but her grip relaxed and with a throaty moan her fingers went into his hair and gripped hard. As her eyes became glossy she shifted back into game face and lowered her own teeth to his neck, as the fangs pierced his skin he gripped her so hard her ribs creaked and he pressed himself against her hard.

She was going to make him hers but somehow her hero had made her his and it was just … wonderful.

And they both became eternity.