Bringing Him Back



By PassionFish









The doors slammed open, and guards attempted to prevent the young woman from entering the thresh-hold with little progress. She walked solidly to the visible elevators, literally knocking down anyone and anything that got in her way. Standing in front of the elevator doors she calmly pressed the small metal button and waited, all the appearance of equanimity, for the doors to open.



Briefly scanning the numbers she selected eighteen and calmly waited for her floor to arrive. She stepped from the doors, a loud ping signifying her departure, and marched purposely down the long, seemingly endless, corridor.



Arriving in front of six foot beaten platinum doors she didn't bother to knock, she threw the doors open, both coming from their hinges and landing loudly behind her. She walked into the room and stood in front of the oak desk that was the centre attraction of the room.



The single occupant of the room jumped visibly at the loud entrance, but attempted to retain her fearless composure with maximum results. The brown haired woman stood slowly, pushing her chair from behind her slightly and smiled politely at the other woman as she greeted her new companion.



"Miss Summers."



***



"Good. You know who I am. You're Lialah, right?" She didn't wait for a response, knowing herself to be correct in her assumptions. "Good. I hear you do resurrections. Well, I have a job for you." Buffy lifted her shoulder bag from her arm and placed it gently on the table. Slowly unzipping the bag she carefully retrieved her precious cargo, placing it softly on the wood.



Lialah regarded the glass jar and her smile warmed somewhat, "I see." With a subtle flick of her wrist she sent the guards back where they came from.



"You can do it?" It was less a question, more a demand.



"Yes." Came the succinct reply and the slayer visibly relaxed.



***



Buffy sighed and rubbed her red eyes; sore from the tears she's shed over the past week. The last seven days had been the most horrific of her life. And considering in her lifetime she'd averted eight apocalypses, killed her lover, watched her mother go through a brain tumour and found her boyfriend being bitten by living corpses that was saying a lot.



She attempted not to think of what had happened, but like a nightmare that refuses to cease visiting a scared child at night, the memories flooded her.



---



"Why. Won't. You. Just. Stay. STILL?!!" Buffy screamed as she continued to chase the vampire through the deserted cemetery. Over and around gravestones it jumped, dodged...pretty much ran for its unlife.



With a cry of frustration she suddenly pounced, her slayer speed and strength sending her flying on to the vampires' back. With a satisfied grunt she slammed her stake into its heart from behind.



Unfortunately, being supported by said dusting vampire meant that as he exploded Buffy lost her balance and slammed stake first on to Spike who happened to be lounging near by.



Buffy hastily jumped up, ready to scream at him for being in her way. When he didn't speak she frowned, realising something was wrong. With a gasp she realised she no longer held her stake. Her gaze shot to his chest and her eyes widened at the wood sticking out of it.



"Spike?" Her eyes locked on his, waiting for him to make some sarcastic comment about her worry, but all she saw was shock and pain.



"Buffy...” He whispered as he dusted, his ashes dissipating over the soft grass behind the headstone that they were both next to.



Her eyes widened even more, her throat constricted painfully. Tears spilled over and she heaved up what little dinner she'd eaten that night. Suddenly, a huge sob ripped from her throat and she collapsed to her knees as she cried.



She must have been there for forty-five minutes before Xander found her. He tried to get her to move, asked her what was wrong. But she wouldn't answer him, using her strength to stay rooted firmly to the ground.



In his desperation he rang Willow on his mobile, before he could hang up Buffy spoke, "Tell her to bring a jar."



"What?"



"Tell her to bring a jar."



"I don't underst..."



"Just DO IT!" She screamed at him, her red orbs flashing angrily.



On the other end of the phone, Willow spoke, "Don't worry Xander, I hear her, I'll bring it and be there in a minute."



---



In the cold, dead office tears poured from the slayer's cold, dead orbs. Her memories fast-forwarded, a few days later.



---



"She's not moved in two days." Willow whispered worriedly to Giles as they stood outside the slayer's open bedroom door.



"I take it she's not eaten." Giles asked, indicating the untouched tray of Buffy's favourite foods.



"No." Willow whispered back. After a few minutes they left, needing to talk some more and deal with Dawn.



Buffy simply continued to lie on her side, facing her bedside table. Her eyes dead; emotionless, secured on the glass jar that sat atop her table, filled with dust particles.



---



"Miss Summers?"



The woman's voice jolted Buffy from her memories and the slayer raised her eyes to Lialah's.



"It's just about ready. Now, if the matter of bill could be discussed..."



"What?"



"Buffy...” The lawyer began but changed tactics at the slayer's sharp look, "Miss Summers, a request of this magnitude cannot be under-taken by Wolfram and Heart without some sort of compensation being paid, I'm sure you can understand this."



"Angel will deal with it." She answered and the lawyer raised a delicate brow but nodded businesswoman like.



"Very good. If you'll come with me."



---



"I want him back."



The entire room of occupants turned to the sound of the slayer's voice, gravely though it was. Her throat was parched from not having drunk anything in three days and her eyes were lifeless and sunk back into her skull somewhat from the lack of food.



"Buffy, I hate to break it to ya...” Xander began but Buffy cut him off sharply.



"Shut up, Xander! Or get out of my house 'cause I don't give a fuck what you have to say." Xander shot her a pained look and appeared to be about to retort but quietened at the tears that shot to her eyes.



Buffy swallowed heavily, "I want him back. Now. I have a watcher, two witches and a thousand year old demon. One of you knows how to do it and I want it done now."



Everyone was speechless. The room was silent for several minutes before Giles spoke, "Buffy, are you sure its what you want."



"I'm not going to repeat myself again, Giles."



The watcher inhaled sharply at her swift comment but nodded. "I...uh, didn't think you'd want to hear this but Darla was resurrected."



"What?" Willow asked, but Buffy said nothing, the news not new to her.



"Who did it?" Buffy spoke curtly.



"A-a-according to Wesley, a lawyers firm.... a Wolfram and Heart."



"Lawyer's firm? Bringing back the dead?" Willow questioned.



"Sure, they've been around for centuries - not just on this plane." Anya put in.



"I'm going to LA tonight." Buffy stated and turned without another word to grab her ever-packed slayer-emergency overnight bag. She dashed to her room and carefully placed the glass container in between her clothing.



She came downstairs and into the kitchen to see her watcher hanging up the phone, "Giles, I have to...” Her voice cracked with tears.



Giles's own eyes filled with sorrow and he nodded, "I know, I've booked the flight, it's in half an hour."



"Thank you."



---



"Wait here, please."



"I'm coming with you." Buffy stated.



"I'm afraid that's not possible...” Buffy was about to argue so Lialah changed tactics, "...the ceremony is very specific and we don't want to take that chance now do we?"



Buffy raised an eyebrow at the condescending tone, "When?"



"When what?"



"When do I get to see him?" She bit out angrily.



Lialah opened the door in front of them and led Buffy into the surprisingly comfortable, apartment-like room. However, it was lost on the slayer. "He'll be brought here."



"How long?"



"Night fall." Lialah closed the door with both hands leaving Buffy to sit and wait, alone with her memories.



---



"Buffy?" The ex-cheerleader jumped around from behind her desk at the sudden arrival of a long-since-last-seen friend.



"Where is he?"



Cordelia frowned, gasping when Buffy finally met her eyes at the pain she saw in them. "I...uh, I'll just go get him." She whispered.



"Buffy?"



The slayer looked up at the souled vampire who was no more than a meter in front of her.



"I need to go to Wolfram and Heart."



"What? Why?!" Angel was alarmed, reaching out to touch her arm, concerned by her haggard appearance and strange request.



Buffy dodged his touch, "I kil...” She stopped unable to form the words as her tears began again. Angel frowned, trying to draw her to him, as he was accustomed to when she was in pain but she pushed him away.



"No!" She stepped back, "They brought Darla back and so they can bring him back too."



Angel gasped, finally understanding the painful feeling that had been nagging at him for the past few days, "Spike?" He gasped.



"I want him back." She whispered.



"Buffy, I don't think you know what you're saying."



"Don't patronise me, Angel! You do it all the fucking time and I'm sick of it!" She screeched at him in capital letters, running over his last few words.



"I'm not...” The vampire tried again, only to be interrupted by the slayers heartfelt whisper.



"I never ask anything of you. You always do what you think is best, no matter what I want."



"Buffy...” Angel murmured painfully.



"NO! I. WANT. HIM. BACK."



"WHY?! He's a soulless vampire, Buffy, just because he's got a chip doesn't make him good."



"Well, maybe I don't need him good, maybe I just need him.... I need him back."



"You're in love with him?"



She didn't deny or accept it, just spoke in a deadly quiet voice. "I want him back. Now."



"Fine." Angel whispered, moving out of the room to make the necessary calls. He stopped at her parting words, his soul freezing over.



"I don't care what you have to do."



---





The large create was wheeled into the centre of the power filled room and the disciples surrounded it.



Lialah smiled, this was going to be so much easier since they already had the ashes. She sighed, remembering all the shit that not having Darla's ashes had caused. She winced as the lighting struck the cage and the hooded figures began to chant in unpronounceable tongues.



She checked her watch, two minutes to midnight. This was going to be over sooner than she'd thought.



Suddenly, thunder crashed around them, shaking the foundations of the walls. They heard a thud inside the cage and as one the cloaked figures whispered the completing word of the spell and disappeared.



The brunette smiled and walked to the cage as her 'lackeys', for want of a better word, cleared up after the enchantment. She smiled in through the bars at the panting naked man curled in the corner.



---



"Buffy's here?" Spike asked, a couple of hours later.



"Yes, she's waiting for you." Lialah smiled kindly, *I can see why. * She thought eyeing his appearance appreciatively.



Spike sighed, wanting a cigarette. He was dressed in his usual clothing; they'd even managed to 'resurrect' his duster. He was as freaked as hell. One minute he'd been waiting to aggravate Buffy on patrol then bang he'd been dead. Needless to say he wasn't too happy about that part. Hell hadn't been that bad a place, having said all that, lots of beer, cigarettes and porn. Frankly he couldn't see what Angel's issues had been with the place.



Sure he was happy to be back. And back he was, only with a couple of adjustments. He was sans soul, sans chip and sans vampy-ness. He didn't feel any different, other than he didn't feel like eating the woman in front of him. He could feel his heart beating so he figured he was human. However, he could also hear her heartbeat. He wasn't about to tell her that though, he just wanted out of here.



"Well then, best not keep her waiting, eh?"



---



Buffy sat facing the expansive window that presented LA to her viewing. She didn't even bother to turn at the sound of the door opening; having already been brought food three times she wasn't in the mood to acknowledge this fourth visit. She only wanted to see one person and he would be taking a while.



Spike frowned at her lack of response and walked further into the room. He sighed slightly at the content feeling that filled him at the sight of her. Even as a vampire his heart seemed capable of doing that weird contracting/expanding jig at her presence and he welcomed the feeling with both arms



"Buffy?"



She gasped and turned. She must have stopped, her mouth a-gape for a full twenty seconds before rushing towards him. She didn't speak, simply flung herself into his arms, her tears running down her face.



Spike was shocked, wrapping his arms around her automatically. Her mouth was on his in an instant, her lips prying open his as her tongue swept inside his mouth. He reacted instantly, pulling her closer, taking control with his tongue as he lifted her off her feet.



Her arms were wrapped around his neck, her hands pulling his lips harder against hers. She lifted her legs, wrapping them around his waist as he walked over to the couch.



***



Lialah watched from the doorway with amusement and a touch of jealousy. With a sigh she closed the door and returned to her office to make the necessary withdrawals from Angel's account.



***



Buffy sighed contentedly into her lover's mouth as he gently kissed her after yet another round of lovemaking.



Spike pulled back, taking a deep breath, staring down into her ever-changing eyes, watching with great pleasure the happiness he saw within them grow, "I love you." He whispered.



"I love you, too, Spike."



He closed his eyes in pleasure, his lips once more seeking hers in affirmation. She gave it willingly, as she always would.











The End

AN: Silly, I know...but, eh - I was young :P