Universal by BuffyMeetsSpike
 
This story takes place about a month after The Ghost in You. It is helpful, but not necessary to read that story first. The story takes place in an AU version of Season 6. Spike and Buffy are together, living in her house and caring for Dawn after Buffy was brought back from the dead. Their newfound peace is due to be shattered when they become pawns in a battle between the Powers that Be and a race of demons hungry for power.
 
Disclaimer: Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy own all the awesome characters.
 
Reviews are most helpful and welcome!
 
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Prologue
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Their realm was one of infinite light, glowing and shifting in shades of white. From this, their stronghold, the Powers That Be watched and listened to the currents of the worlds. They saw as one stream threatened to overspill into another, causing chaos, or noticed when the slight redirection of one flow could strengthen another, and another, like tiny mountain streams forming a great river. They watched, and they conversed, and weighed their choices.
 
The dark ones are growing stronger. We must bring forth the new power.
 
It will cause them pain. They have suffered much already.
 
It cannot be helped. Only they can bring forth the One.
 
They are strong.
 
Are they strong enough? They are still so weary.
 
It cannot be helped. If we spare them, we may lose all.
 
It cannot be helped.
 
It cannot be helped. We are of one accord. Let it be done.
 
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Chapter 1
 
“Hey, I’m home!” Dawn shouted as she banged her way in the back door. She tossed her backpack on the kitchen counter and followed the sounds of the television to the living room, where Spike was enjoying the last few minutes of Passions.  “Spike? Earth to Spike?”
 
“Shh!” he hushed her. “I need to see how this comes out. Although they always leave it on some bloody cliffhanger.”
 
Dawn laughed. She found it endlessly humorous that the Big Bad was completely addicted to the world’s sappiest soap opera. “Where’s Buffy?” she asked, heading for the kitchen.
 
“Grocery shopping, now quiet!” he snarled. Bint always has to interrupt the last ten minutes. He had truly grown very fond of Dawn over the entire summer, and that feeling had only increased since he had moved into the Summers home. But there was a limit to his patience.
 
Dawn knew exactly how exasperating she was being, and decided for once to have mercy on the vampire. She pulled out an apple from the fridge and munched it while she sorted out her homework. Algebra, French, Literature. Not too bad, I guess. She flipped open her Algebra book and started working on the list of problems while she munched.
 
Ten minutes later, Spike came sauntering in to the kitchen. He made himself a mug of blood and sipped it while he looked over Dawn’s shoulder. “Double check number 6 there, Nibblet. Think you made a subtraction error.”
 
Dawn saw that he was right, again. Spike’s homework help had really allowed her to catch up from her weeks of ignoring homework and skipping school. But it was really, really annoying how he was always right. “Were you, like, a total geek in high school?” she asked sarcastically as she erased.
 
“Didn’t have geeks in my time. Only well educated English gentlemen, like myself,” he said, affecting an upper class accent for Dawn’s amusement. She stuck out her tongue at him and went back to work.
 
The back door banged open as Buffy came in with the grocery bags. Spike set down his blood and hurried to relieve her of the bags and steal a quick kiss. She went back for the last couple bags as Spike started putting things away. “You having a party, pet?” he asked, wondering a little at the larger than usual pile of food.
 
“Social services is visiting for the follow up tomorrow, remember?” Buffy said. “Don’t want them to think I’m starving anyone.” She still had nightmares sometimes about losing Dawn again. Although she had mostly adjusted to being alive once more, she still had some moments of panic, and social services was one of those panic buttons.
 
“It will be alright, Slayer. Bit and I will help you clean up later. Right, Bit?”
 
“If I must,” sighed Dawn. Buffy fixed her with a stern look and Dawn said, “Ok, ok, you know I’ll help.”
 
“Good. ‘Cause I really like having you around, for reasons that I can’t fathom sometimes,” she teased. The sisters simultaneously stuck their tongues out at each other and laughed.
 
The evening passed pleasantly. Buffy made dinner – she had figured out that quiche was actually pretty easy if you bought premade pie crusts – while Spike helped Dawn with the finer points of French verbs and Shakespeare. They sat down and enjoyed their meal, with Spike insisting all the while that real vampires did not eat quiche. After dinner, Spike and Buffy geared up for patrol, while Dawn settled in for some quality TV time. “Remember, keep the doors locked, don’t let anyone in,” Buffy warned.
 
“As opposed to the last 50 nights, when I was supposed to keep the doors locked, and not let anyone in?” Dawn answered.
 
“Watch it, Missy,” said Spike. “Or I’ll make a midnight snack out of you.”
 
“Promises, promises,” said Dawn. “You guys be careful too.”
 
“Be back soon,” said Buffy. They stepped out onto the porch and Buffy uttered a quick phrase in Latin that Tara had taught them. Tara had remained in touch with Buffy and Spike as they slowly rebuilt a life for the two of them and Dawn. She had put protective wards on the house so that Buffy and Spike could patrol without worrying about Dawn. Buffy merely had to activate the spell when she left and deactivate it when she got back so that Spike could come in. Tara wasn’t quite good enough to make it that specific, so the spell kept out all demons when activated.
 
Willow probably could have made a more specific spell, but Buffy had still not reconciled with her or Xander. Tara had left Willow for using magic on her without her permission, and Willow was still struggling with her addiction to magic. Anya occasionally called to say hello, but Xander was still angry about Buffy’s relationship with Spike, and seemed unable to fully understand how hard Buffy still struggled with being alive. Buffy assumed that someday she would be ready to deal with them, but someday wasn’t there quite yet. She was content to have Dawn back, to keep in touch with Tara and Anya, and to be living with Spike.
 
She glanced over at him as they walked through the cemeteries, looking for fledglings and demons. His face was completely healed from the holy water burns he had sustained at Xander’s hands, and she found him beautiful in the moonlight.
 
Thanks love. Not so bad yourself, you know. Buffy smiled as Spike’s thoughts floated into her mind. When they had first claimed each other, they had felt each other’s emotions, but not much else. After a few weeks of constant togetherness, they gradually became able to read each other’s thoughts. At first it only happened when they were making love, or when Spike drank from her. But it had developed to the point that they now had to make a special effort not to broadcast their thoughts to each other all the time. They made a point of not deliberately invading each other’s minds, but unless they were careful most of their thoughts seemed to travel almost instantly between them.
 
Flattery will get you nowhere, she returned. Their pleasant, if nonverbal, banter was interrupted by a scream. They followed the sound to find a woman being pulled by a couple of vampires toward an open crypt. “Hey, look,” one of them said. “If we grab her too we won’t have to share.”
 
“Good luck with that,” Buffy said, pulling out a stake. The vampires’ eyes widened briefly, then they dropped the woman and launched their attack. Buffy and Spike waited until the last second, then as one unit they stepped aside and staked the vampires in the back as they passed. I think that was a new record, love, Spike thought as the dust settled.
 
Like shooting fish in a barrel, Buffy agreed. “Are you ok?” she asked the woman, as she shakily got to her feet.
 
“I’m fine. What… what happened to those guys?” the woman was nearly as frightened of Spike and Buffy as she had been at the vampires.
 
“All you need to know is that they’re gone,” Spike said. His warm accent had its usual affect on the woman, calming her and making her unconsciously adjust her clothes and run her hands through her hair.
 
You are SUCH a flirt, Buffy scolded.
 
What can I say? I’m irresistible. But you know I’ve only got eyes for you, Slayer. He turned those eyes to her and they shared a long look before they returned to their task. They made sure the woman got to a cab, and made sure the cabbie had a heartbeat before bidding her goodnight. They finished their patrol, dusting a couple of fledges here and there, then headed for home.
 
Buffy muttered the spell that allowed Spike access and they went inside. Dawn was talking on the phone to her friend Janice as they came in. Spike hung up his duster as Buffy put away her stakes. “We should probably straighten up for the inspection tomorrow,” she remembered.
 
“Right. You want the upstairs or the downstairs?” Spike said. He was never going to enjoy the whole housekeeping aspect of living with two women. However, he wanted Buffy happy and Dawn around, so he accepted it.
 
“Dawn and I will take the upstairs,” Buffy said. Then raising her voice she added, “As soon as she gets off the phone!” Dawn heard her sister’s tone, and cut her conversation short.
 
“What’s up?” Dawn said.
 
“Home inspection. Tomorrow,” Buffy said. “Let’s go upstairs and tidy things up so that you don’t get shipped off to foster care again, ok?”
 
“Fine,” Dawn huffed. Having registered her token protest, she proceeded to clean up her room while Buffy worked on the bathroom. Spike did the dishes, carried the weapons chest downstairs to the basement where it was less conspicuous, and generally looked around for anything that betrayed his presence. Technically, no unrelated adults were supposed to be living in the house unless they went through a criminal records check. Spike had gotten some fake documents to give himself a checkable background, but they hadn’t gotten around to testing them yet. This inspection was the first one since Dawn had come back, and they felt it was easier for now to have him just quietly stay out of the way when the inspectors came. After they had gotten another good report on the record, then they could consider broaching the subject of Buffy’s ‘boyfriend William’ moving in.
 
Within an hour the house was back in order. Spike’s clothes were stashed under the spare towels in Joyce’s bedroom, which was now a guest room. All the suspicious weaponry was tucked away out of sight, the floors had been vacuumed, and the kitchen was clean and well stocked. Buffy made the three of them a celebratory cup of cocoa when they finished. As they sipped and chatted, Buffy felt a moment of deep, perfect contentment. Her longing for the warmth and peace of Heaven had never completely gone away, but times like this came very close.
 
Since Dawn’s return they had found themselves falling into an easy domestic routine, and even though Spike grumbled about the tarnishing of his Big Bad persona, he was secretly as happy as he had ever remembered being. Buffy usually got up early to make breakfast, make sure Dawn got off to school, and do laundry and such. Spike had a hard time letting go of his nocturnal habits, so tended to make his first appearance around lunch time. They would share lunch, usually make love and share a shower, then putter around until Dawn came home. They would spar in the basement, often as a form of foreplay, or have long conversations about Spike’s past experiences. Buffy was starting to research the idea of going back to school, but she was in no hurry. Although the panic attacks were becoming less frequent, she still felt she needed more time to really feel 100% back to an even keel before she went back to college. After dinner and patrol, they would hang out, make love some more, and fall asleep in each other’s arms. The routine was comforting, and Buffy often felt that this constant, easy connection they had was the most important factor in her return to the land of the living.
 
“I’m going to bed,” Dawn announced. “See you guys in the morning.” Spike and Buffy murmured their goodnights and Buffy got up to wash out the mugs.
 
“When are the inspectors coming tomorrow, love?” Spike inquired.
 
“Sometime in the morning. So I guess you’ll have to get your lazy self out of bed before noon,” Buffy responded.
 
“Well then I guess we’ll just have to turn in early so I can get my beauty sleep,” Spike purred as he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He nuzzled her neck distractingly.
 
“Mmm,” she sighed. “Just let me put these dishes away and I’ll take you up on that.” She made short work of the dishes and turned to Spike, drawing him down into a passionate kiss. They broke it off when Buffy got desperate for air and they practically chased each other up the stairs.
 
Buffy’s bedroom was much the same as it had been, with a few subtle differences. The curtains had been replaced by much darker, heavier ones to protect sleeping vampires. There were more candles scattered around, and next to Buffy’s white fluffy bathrobe hung a slightly faded black silk one. Although they had to keep Spike’s presence hidden from the authorities for now, they both felt that this was ‘their’ room, and right now they were eager to get into their bed together.
 
Spike closed and locked the door behind him while he watched Buffy strip off her clothes. See anything you like yet, she teased. The telepathy had proved to be a boon when it came to having sex with Dawn just across the hall. Spike’s tongue curled behind his teeth in anticipation as Buffy slowly shimmied out of her jeans and pulled off her shirt, facing him in her lacy bra and panties with her hand on her hip. How about now?
 
Two can play at this game, he thought as he pulled off his own shirt. Buffy felt a wave of heat run through her as she watched his muscles flex. Ok, you win, Buffy grinned as they moved to meet each other in the center of the room. Their hands made swift work of the rest of their clothing as they kissed, jeans and undergarments scattering the newly cleaned floor. They moved in concert to the bed, and Spike relished the sight of his Slayer laid out in all her tanned and blonde glory.
 
Spike slid his caressing tongue down her body to zero in on her clit, causing her to arch her back and sigh aloud. “Never going to get tired of that,” she moaned softly.
 
Me neither, Spike replied. The combination of not needing to breathe or speak made for endless possibilities. His attentions to her sex went on and on, her feelings echoing deliciously in his own mind, intensifying his arousal. At last she could hold back no longer and she cried, “Spike!” as she convulsed in her orgasm.
 
Beautiful, Spike thought as he worked his way back up her body, slowly entering her on his way. Dear God, I love you, Buffy. This is my home. Right here, between these hot little thighs of yours.
 
Love you, Spike. Love you, love this. Never stop, oh God never stop. Buffy’s thoughts grew more and more incoherent as her arousal grew once more to the tipping point.
 
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In that white realm, the Powers were aware, and watching.
 
Now is the time.
 
It must be done.
 
Now.
 
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As Spike neared his climax he vamped out. Buffy turned her head, offering her neck to her lover, her mate, the man she loved. With infinite tenderness he sank his fangs into her neck while she bit his shoulder with her blunt teeth. My slayer, my Buffy, always mine…My vampire, lover, always… Their orgasm crested with its usual lightning strike intensity and the sensations spiraled up and up. This time, however, the intensity seemed to grow exponentially. They felt a sudden heat flowing through both their bodies. To Spike it felt like someone had opened the window on him at sunrise, but without the pain. Buffy felt like her blood was at the boiling point, flying through her veins and speeding her heart rate up until she was sure she would explode. The sensation went on and on, then vanished as suddenly as it had started.
 
The lovers gasped at each other, open mouthed. Spike melted back into his human face and asked, “What the bloody hell just happened?”
 
Buffy shook her head, “I have no idea. It was so… hot. Like I was burning up.”
 
“Same for me,” Spike muttered. “Don’t get me wrong, it was incredible, but…”
 
“Weird. Highly weird,” Buffy finished. Spike lay down beside her and they held each other close. “Could someone have done a spell on us?”
 
Spike pondered that. “I suppose. Although magic has a sort of… smell to it I guess you’d say. I can usually tell when a spell has been done nearby, and I don’t really get that sense. Still, I suppose someone could be messing with us from a distance or something.” He looked at her carefully, “Do you feel ok?”
 
Buffy nodded. “I feel fine. Better than fine. But that was just…”
 
“Odd,” Spike finished. Buffy nodded again and then snuggled into his chest. She felt unusually sleepy. I guess we can figure it out in the morning, she said as she drifted toward sleep.
 
Works for me. Sleep tight, love.
 
You too. Then they both succumbed to their drowsiness.
 
…Blood. So much blood. Everywhere. Soaking the carpet, splashed on the wall, staining a stuffed animal. He was standing in the room with his demon face, watching Buffy sleep. Then her eyes flew open to reveal their golden hue…
 
…The room was filled with demons. She fought and fought, Spike at her side, but there were so many. Too many. They couldn’t get to the altar in time. The bell was tolling and they fought harder but it was too late…
 
The two lovers snapped awake in terror, both sitting bolt upright. Buffy’s heart was racing and Spike was breathing hard, a sure sign of intense emotion. “Buffy? You alright?” he asked, stroking her cheek with a shaking hand.
 
Buffy nodded, returning the gesture. How about you?
 
A little shaky, he admitted. Was that my nightmare, or yours?
 
I think it was both of ours. Did you dream about fighting a room full of demons?
 
No. I dreamed…Spike hesitated. I dreamed you were a vampire. I don’t know, but I think it was me who turned you.
 
Buffy shivered, and Spike gathered her close. That felt way too much like a Slayer dream for comfort, she said.
 
Shh, pet, Spike soothed. I can’t think of any circumstances under which I would turn you. Maybe the same forces that were heating us up earlier are messing with our heads now.
 
I guess we’ll have to look into it tomorrow, Buffy replied. Then they settled back down and eventually went back to sleep.
 
TBC