In Sunnydale's City Hall, in the Mayor's office, Mayor Wilkins was practicing his putting in the company of his assistant, Deputy Mayor Allan Finch. He tapped the ball, and it moved in a nearly perfect straight line.

"Oh, look at that!" Mayor Wilkins complained. "Every time, it cuts to the left." He got down on his hands and knees to check the floor. "See, and it's not the carpet. It's me." He stood up and retrieved his ball. "I swear, I would sell my soul for a decent short game." He dropped the ball for another try. "Of course," he chuckled. "it's a little late for that. I don't suppose I could offer your soul, huh? Really help me on the green." He joked to Allen, who tried not to look terrified, because Mayor Wilkins was perfectly willing and capable of doing that.

"I'm just funning." He assured his nervous little Deputy Mayor. "So, we have a Spike problem, do we?" As he took another shot.

"He's been spotted back in town. First at the factory and most recently passed out at Angel's Mansion."

"Where Angel isn't anymore thanks to that hunter team that was in town a couple days ago. It's too bad I've never been able to develop any contacts in the Watchers Council or I'd have had some warning they'd be in my town. I guess the Watcher wasn't willing to take any chances that the little Slayer would set Angelus loose again. Can't blame him for that. He caused no end of mischief last spring." The Mayor's shot was on target this time, but came up short. He let out a frustrated sigh and went to retrieve his ball again.

"Police Chief Monroe is concerned about what kind of trouble Spike himself might cause." Allen refocused his boss on the immediate problem, the one they could do something about.

Mayor Wilkins dropped the ball and laughed. "Well, yes, y'know, he was up to all sorts of shenanigans last year. We had a world of fun trying to guess what he'd do next."

"I remember." He leaned weakly against the Mayor's desk, feeling faint. The stress of this job was going to kill him, if the Mayor didn't do it first. The Mayor whistled at Allan, who immediately stood back up, the Mayor's phobia concerning germs meant no one touched his stuff if the Mayor could help it.

"But I guess we're past that now. This year is too important to let a loose cannon rock the boat." The Mayor decided.

"Should I have Mr. Trick send a...committee to deal with this?" Allen asked, swallowing the lump of fear in his throat, Mr. Trick was almost as scary as the Mayor. Almost.

"Loose cannon. Rock the boat. Is that a mixed metaphor?" The Mayor seemed to get off track as the thought occured to him, confusing Allen. The Mayor mused out loud. "Boats did have cannons, once upon a time. And a loose one would cause it to rock. Oh, honestly. I don't know where my mind goes these days." He chuckled again. "Why don't you take care of that Spike problem? A committee, like you said." He agreed.

"As good as done." Allen answered and quickly left the office. As scary as Mr. Trick was, the Mayor was still scarier. It didn't take long to find Mr. Trick and give him his orders.

"Spike? I've heard him. But that's because he deliberately tried to make a name for himself. Slayer of Slayers he calls himself, I hear he's killed at least two."

"He originally came here because he intended to go after Buffy Summers." Allen told him. "He attacked her a couple of time but she was able to fight him off. During the Angelus/Acathla business he actually made a deal with her. He didn't want the world to end, so he took his girlfriend, Drusilla and left town with her and gave Miss Summers a clear shot at Angelus. We're not sure why he's back in town, but it's probably to pick up where he left off and Drusilla isn't with him."

"One vampire, regardless of whether he's a Master or not, doesn't stand a chance against a committee. Consider it done." Mr. Trick smirked at the nervous little man, enjoying the smell of fear pouring off of him and then left to gather the vampires that answered to him and like him, worked for the Mayor of Sunnydale.

Arriving at the abandoned Crawford Street Mansion that last housed Angel, the vampire cursed with a soul and prior to that Angelus, Spike and Drusilla, Mr. Trick and his committee entered the Mansion looking for Spike. To their surprise they found more than Spike. They found the blond Slayer chained to a wall.

And she wasn't in very good condition. Having no orders on what to do about her, they attacked, subdued and dusted Spike, who stank of alcohol. Mr. Trick decided to let Bob Monroe, Chief of Police, deal with the Slayer.

While Spike didn't succeed in killing Buffy, he did succeed in causing her even more mental anguish, leaving Buffy a confused mess. Locked in her mind where she was safe, living her dream life with Angel. She'd told Willow, Angel never scared her, where else would she go to escape the fear and pain the last two days had been?

Spike had told her he'd send her to Hell to join Angel, as far as she was concerned, she'd ended up in Heaven with him.

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A/N Some dialog taken from foreverdreamingdotorg, transcript for Lover's Walk episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Yeah, this arc ended up dark. I'm sorry if that makes anyone uncomfortable. Spike's just not a fluffy bunny vampire.