-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


“You’re an evil soulless human,” Leanna said as she smirked, “not a very pretty one for that matter…” She vamped out and walked towards Buffy menacingly. “Spike isn’t going to stop me this time. No one will even notice you’re gone, now that I’m back!” She began to laugh as her now flashing yellow eyes bored into Buffy. Leanna crept closer with each slow step, backing her into a wall. Buffy had nowhere to go. She was stuck, and Leanna was coming toward her ready to strike.


And then Buffy woke up. Jolting upright with a gasp, she panted as the anger bubbled inside her mind. ‘That bitch worked her way into my dreams!’ Buffy was outraged that she couldn’t get a moment’s peace. ‘I have got to find a way out of here!!!!’ Buffy cried to herself desperately. She burrowed her face into her hands, wishing that she could find the answers she was looking for. Finally pulling it together, she got dressed and headed out to the Magic Box. She only hoped Spike wasn’t there.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------


“Hi Spike!” Anya chirped as he came in the door. She had already made lots of money today, sending her into a permanent good mood. But Spike didn’t look as happy as Anya.


“Hey,” Spike said, as he exhaled deeply. He looked troubled, and it didn’t go unnoticed. They stood there a second all exchanging a curious glance. While still not really looking at them, he asked, “How’s Red doing? Did she call Glinda?”


Willow came out of the back room, with a visible bandage wrapped around her arm where the arrow had pierced through. “I’m fine, Spike. And yea, I called Tara already. She said she’ll be back as soon as she can today,” she replied. She saw that he didn’t really react much, but rather was starring off into space, looking like something was on his mind. “What about you? Are YOU ok? …Spike?” Willow asked hesitantly.


“Huh? Oh yea, I’m fine. Right as rain. Just tired is all…”


“Okkkkk, you get into another fight with Leanna or something?” Xander asked inquiringly.


Spike snapped out of it to look up at Xander’s question. “No!… I mean yea…but we’re ok now. I told you, I’m just tired, alright!?,” Spike finished with anger and irritation.


“Alright, alright,” Xander put his hands up and backed off, “I would be in a bad mood too if I had to listen to her whining at me all the time.”


Spike didn’t even respond. Giles decided to change the subject so he cleared his throat. “I wanted to bring something up with you guys to see what you all think. I’ve been doing some thinking for the past few days, and I wanted to know if you thought something is a little off with…Buffy’s amnesia?” Giles inquired. Spike tried not to appear bothered by the sudden mention of that name.


Xander spoke up, “Yea, I DID notice something funny. She remembers all of us, but not Leanna. Those two are always scratching each other’s eyes out! Wouldn’t you think she’d remember someone she hates that much?”


“I agree. I don’t think she’s telling the whole truth. Do you think she’s faking it, Giles?” Willow asked.


“No. She went all crazy on me the first day and didn’t make ANY sense,” Spike continued with confidence, “there’s no way she’s that good of an actress.” He tried not to think of their short embrace on the porch.


“I think Spike’s right. She seemed genuinely clueless about many things,” added Anya.


Before they could continue the conversation, Buffy stepped into the Magic Box. Five faces shot up to look at her, and she stopped in her tracks as they all gave her an odd look.


“Speak of the devil. Your timing is impeccable, Buffy,” Xander jibed.


‘Damn it, Spike is here. Ok avert eyes, ignore stupid vampire.’ She walked into the shop as she asked, “What are you talking about? Why are you all looking at me funny??”


“We’re talking about how you’re clueless,” Xander said matter-of-factly.


“Hey! I’m not clueless!” Buffy was offended.


“Buffy, do you remember anything else that could help us find out more about your amnesia situation?” Giles inquired.


“Oh is that what you were talking about? Well, I dunno. I think I might have hit my head really hard?” Buffy offered hesitantly, knowing it sounded dumb.


“Again?” Xander added sarcastically, “Do we need to make a special Buffy helmet for you?”


Buffy never realized how annoying Xander could be. The comments were funnier when they weren’t about her. She rolled her eyes and ignored him.


“Buffy, you’re not telling us something. That part we know for sure, so either you come out with the truth, or you can find help elsewhere,” Giles said sternly. They all faced her with a look that showed they were waiting for some answers – even Spike had finally looked up to glare at her inquiringly.


It was ridiculous. They wouldn’t believe the truth, but they weren’t believing her lie. She didn’t know what to say. So she just told them.


“Sigh…ok well don’t say I didn’t warn you…you guys won’t believe me, but you asked for it. This world isn’t real. I’M from the real world, where humans are good – I am good! – and vampires are evil. All of you guys aren’t vampires, except for Spike. You guys are MY friends, and everything is actually the reverse. I’m a slayer and I kill evil soulless vampires. There.” Buffy finished hastily.


Disbelieving faces starred at her in silence. “PUHAHAHAHA,” Xander burst out into hysterics, followed by everyone else. They clutched their stomachs and howled over in laughter at her ridiculous explanation.


“That’s-,” Xander gasped for air, “that’s-, the funniest thing I have heard in my life!!!!”


“That is so bloody ridiculous! Have you gone completely MAD!?” Spike exclaimed, all the while still laughing along with the gang.


Buffy knew it was coming, but nevertheless, she was now thoroughly pissed off because of Spike’s comment. With her arms crossed and her jaw tight, she said, “I TOLD you that you wouldn’t believe me! I-,” she was cut off as someone came in the door behind her.


“Tara!” Willow exclaimed as she ran to meet her girlfriend in a hug.


“Willow! Are you ok!?” concern was written all over Tara’s face, as she looked at Willow’s bandage and eyed her for other damages.


“I’m ok, don’t worry sweetie,” Willow said with affection as she gave her another hug, “I’m just glad you’re here now…”


“I’m sorry Willow – I know I was supposed to come back earlier, and I tried, but…but…weird things kept happening. And then I got your call, and got back as soon as I could…” Tara looked over at the gang. “Hi Guys!”


Everyone said hi, and Tara noticed Buffy was here. A flicker of hesitation went across Tara’s expression, as her eyes landed on Buffy. She had the slightest little feeling that something was off, but she didn’t know what.


Willow noticed the look. “What’s the matter?” Willow said as she furrowed her brow and looked to Buffy and back again to Tara.


“I just…,” Tara cut herself off and addressed Buffy, “Buffy, are you…alright?”


“What do you mean?” Buffy said puzzled. Buffy’s anger from before had dissipated when she had seen Tara walk in the door. Even when Tara was worried, she still had a sort of calming effect on everyone around her.


“Oh don’t mind her, Tara. She’s gone insane. She thinks the world is reversed and that she’s like some superhero in real life,” Xander interjected, trying to hold back the laughter.


Buffy turned around and gave him a fierce glare. But Spike had seen she was beyond pissed, and felt sort of bad for her, with all of them ganging up on her. He remembered the utter confusion etched on her face that night she came to his porch, so he jumped to change the subject, at something that had caught his attention earlier, “Wait, what do you mean weird things kept happening?” Spike looked towards Tara with an upraised brow.


Everyone seemed to look up in thought, as they became curious and turned to wait for Tara’s answer.


“Wait, where did you even go?” Buffy asked.


“Well…see…I went to visit my friend, who had called me and…and asked if I could go and help her with thi-…this spell that she had done wrong. I thought she sounded really urgent and…and she’s one of my only good friends from back home, s-…so I went to help her even though I thought something was wrong.”


“Well, was something wrong?” Willow asked concerned at her serious tone.


“Well I got there, and she-…she said she didn’t call me,” Tara finished.


Everyone looked alarmed and confused. “What? Who called you?” Spike spoke up with a puzzled expression.


“I…I don’t know,” Tara sighed. “After that, I tried to come back when I planned, but…”


“What?” said Buffy, anxiously curious.


“Well first, she…she kept begging me to stay and spend more time with her…she didn’t seem herself…and then my flight was cancelled. And all of a sudden they…they didn’t have another flight at all. The whole time, it was like…like something didn’t want me to leave…” Tara paused before looking at Willow, “But then you called and I just had to get back, so I took a bunch of buses instead…It could be all bad luck, but I had a bad feeling the whole time I was there and I still don’t know who called me…”


“That IS quite odd. But you seem to be alright, and you didn’t run into any physical danger I presume?” Giles added.


“Yea…I just think it’s strange…” Tara trailed off.


“What’s strange?” Leanna had suddenly sauntered into the Magic Box, wearing a leathery red outfit that was way too tight, and reminded Buffy of a hooker. She walked up to Spike with a sly smile and draped her arms on his, leaning into him. Spike tensed, suddenly uncomfortably with her public displays, especially after what had happened. Leanna became angry, when she realized why he had not responded the way he usually did. Spike was glancing over at Buffy, who was glaring at them in obvious hate and revulsion.


Leanna turned to Buffy. “Why the hell are you showing your face here again?” Leanna said in a dead cold voice. The gang felt the room turn icy, as the exchange seemed more malicious than usual. Everyone was eyeing them, waiting for the next move. “Why haven’t you made her leave?” she said as she looked at Spike while still draped on his shoulder.


“Leanna…” Spike began, frustrated that he was back to defending himself.


“YOU TOLD ME YOU WANT ME!” Leanna burst out in anger. The whole room seemed to jump back at her outrage, except Buffy, who stood there with an angry look. She was trying not to show that she was EXTREMELY uncomfortable, and was trying not to appear like she was avoiding looking at Spike, which she definitely was.


“LEANNA! Calm the bloody hell down! I do want you, you bint!” Spike hardly ever became that angry with her, which caused Leanna’s eyes to widen.


“Wait, rewind. Did we miss something here?” Xander asked, daring to tread into the battlefield.


Leanna looked at Xander briefly before turning back to Spike. “Why don’t you ask SPIKE what happened?” she finished before whirling around to glare at Buffy too.


Buffy was angry, but her angry expression had turned into panic and discomfort when she realized what they were about to find out. Her eyes shot up to Spike’s, questioning him silently with what he was going to say, but knowing that if he didn’t tell them, Leanna would anyway.


“What? Suddenly you have nothing to say?! Tell them that you kissed her!! Go ahead!!” Leanna ended with her arms crossed and eyebrows raised in angry impatience for Spike to speak up. He had made a fool out of her, and she wasn’t going to let them him get off that easily.


“Whoaaaa, you kissed HER!?” Xander asked incredulously as he pointed at Buffy. “Have you totally lost it too? She’s a HUMAN. I thought you were over that with Drusilla?? At least Drusilla had a SOUL, even if she was crazier than Buffy is now!”


“STOP SAYING I DON’T HAVE A SOUL!!” Buffy cried furiously. She had heard that way too many times within the past few days. She was sick of playing along with this world – she knew she had a soul, damnit. ‘Wait a minute, Dru had a soul!?’ Her eyes widened in confusion. “What are you talking about Drusilla had a soul???”


Everyone ignored her. They were all waiting for Spike to answer Xander, and wondering how Spike could let this happen, or why. “You guys kissed?” Anya urgently got back to the matter at hand. “Did it lead to hot sex? Have you been hiding it from us all this time?”


“What!? NO! Look, it was a mistake, alright!? She kissed me and caught me off guard! And this has nothing to do with Dru! It was a mistake, and it meant NOTHING,” Spike defended. He didn’t want to look at Buffy in the eyes, but couldn’t help glancing to see her reaction.


Buffy’s chin began to tremble from anger. She was seeing red – they had not only ignored her and deemed her soulless evil, but also regarded her like some thing with no feelings. Most of all, Spike’s words cut her deep, and she was angry, hurt, and confused at why she had come to feel ‘these things’ she hadn’t felt before.


She couldn’t let them see her break her resolve. Tilting up her chin a bit and glaring at Leanna and Spike, she told the gang, “Spike’s right. It really meant nothing at all.” She turned around, and calmly, but still furious, walked out of the Magic Box, waiting until she was out the door to let her hurt expression take over.

------

“I think you hurt her feelings…” Tara said hesitantly. Tara didn’t know what had happened these past few days, but something wasn’t right about Buffy…


“Oh who cares!? At least she’s finally gone!” Leanna rolled her eyes.


Tara opened her mouth, but closed it again. She didn’t want to argue, because frankly, she would lose at it, but she found herself constantly disliking Leanna’s negative attitude. She knew that Leanna treated her like she didn’t even exist, and even though she didn’t tell the rest of them, she rooted for Buffy in most of the quarrels with Leanna.


Giles finally spoke up, after remaining silent in thought through the whole exchange, “Spike, I think you need to be more careful. You know how dangerous it can be to let Buffy get that close to you. She’s a human, and she can’t deny her nature to want to kill us. I know she looks just like one of us, but she’s evil. You know that.”


“Yea,” Spike sighed in frustration as he ran his hands back through his hair, “I know…” But Spike didn’t know anymore. Buffy didn’t pose him any physically danger, but emotionally, she would be the death of him.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


“I thought you were going to keep the witch away longer?” the male voice asked.


“I tried! You know I have to follow the rules though! I can only cause what the vampire wished… ” cried the female in frustration. She calmed down and held her hand to her temple. “It’s ok. I don’t think the witch can fully sense what is wrong. The slayer is vulnerable again, so we’re right on track. I WILL get the job done. They won’t be disappointed.”


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


She had gone to the cemetery, really not knowing where else to go. Before, she had gone to the Magic Box to try and find a way to get out of here, but she couldn’t go back there now – she couldn’t even go to her own house because it belonged to Spike now. Walking through the cemetery slowly with her head down, she thought of all the things that had happened with Spike. ‘I don’t know why I care at all…I shouldn’t care…He’s just Spike…this place must be messing with me’ she thought in frustration. Another part of her didn’t believe any of that, but wasn’t willing to ever admit it.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear anyone approach her. She froze as she felt a presence, and turned around ready to strike. It was Spike.


He caught her fist, as he watched Buffy take time to relax briefly, before turning angry once again. “Let go of me,” Buffy said with gritted teeth. “What the hell do you want now?”


He held her fist, forcing her hand to her side, and letting his fingers graze down her hand as she relaxed, pulling away reluctantly. “Look, I didn’t come here to argue with you,” Spike said with sincerity.


“And you came here to…?” Buffy asked irritated, crossing her arms so she didn’t have to think about the electricity that had coursed through her with just the brush of his fingers.


“I came here to apologize,” Spike had regret written in his eyes, something he had hid well from the others.


Surprised and speechless, Buffy opened her mouth to speak, but didn’t know how to reply.


“I’m sorry,” Spike sighed, knowing ahead of time that this wasn’t going to be easy, “I didn’t mean to have everyone gang up on you like that…I just…” he paused not knowing how he should continue, “it WAS a mistake, and it can never happen again, but I didn’t mean to…” Spike sighed, “…I guess I just want to say thank you for helping me yesterday, and bringing Dawn home.” He opted for the easy way out, not knowing what or how he should’ve finished that sentence.


All the while, Buffy was staring at him uncomfortably, at the apologetic words he was sending her way. Back home, she had always taken sensitive-Spike for granted, punching him when he professed his love for her. Here, things were different, and now his words just made her shiver in emotion. When he finished his sentence by thanking her, her disappointment was shown in obvious annoyance at his weak change of subject.


“Forget about it. It wasn’t about you anyway – it was about Willow, and Dawn. Thanks for the apology, you can go back to feeling good about yourself now,” Buffy continued, resulting to sarcasm to mask her disappointment.


“Buffy, that’s not what I meant...,” Spike yelled out in frustration as Buffy looked at him with an upraised brow. “Listen, can we just call a truce? I’m sorry,” he finished with a whisper as he moved closer to her to show his sincerity.


She felt her heart skip a beat as she felt his breath lightly brush her face, and quickly darted her eyes downward, as she wasn’t willing to see what emotion he held in his gaze. Her voice was caught in her throat, but she managed to get out, “Ok…a truce,” before both of them backed away from each other, uncomfortably fidgeting.


Buffy looked anywhere but him, until a thought crossed her mind that had been bothering her before. It was a perfect time to ask. “Spike?” Buffy asked, forcing him to look at her.


“Yea?” Spike asked, hoping they wouldn’t have to re-visit that awkward moment.


“Can…can you tell me about Drusilla? And her soul?” Buffy asked with curiosity.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------