Disclaimer:All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Beta’d by the wonderful Marella916. Banner by nmcil12.

After a spectacular defeat at the end of NFA, resulting in all life in this dimension ending, the Powers have decided to give the dimension one more chance. They decide our favorite blonde vampire is just the guy for the job. Numbed from recent events Spike thinks they've gone barmy, he's not a hero but the Powers insist. What's a souled vamp to do when he is sent back in time?
 
Just a warning: This is an AU spuffy story. BUT Buffy is only 16 when this starts so the spuffy lovin' while it will happen won't be for awhile. There will be briefly Bangel. I don't mind Angel, but I do not like the pairing of Buffy/Angel but it is necessary to the plot. I have rated this M for now for adult language, eventually there will be smut but like I said it won't happen right away so try to be patient. I hope you enjoy what I have done with the characters. I have used certain elements of the show, certain bad guys and even some dialog.

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Giles made sure to arrive at Spike’s house before Xander and Willow. After a lengthy discussion he had convinced Spike to let him do all the talking at first to explain things to the teenagers. The watcher was waiting outside when the two teens arrived at Spike’s house. “Nice digs.” Xander commented as he and Willow came up the front walk.

“Yes well, I’ll be sure to let the owner know you approve. Why don’t you two come inside.” Giles said as he led Willow and Xander into the living room. He noticed both of them looking for Buffy.

“Willow, Xander this is Whistler.” Giles pointed to the demon sitting on the couch. “He is a demon.” At their shocked gasps he continued. “He works for the Powers that Be.” Just then Spike entered the room. “And this is William the Bloody, also known as Spike.” Spike nodded at both teens but kept quiet letting Giles explain this part to the two children. “Spike is a vampire.”

“What?!” they both yelped in unison.

“Calm down, both of you, let me explain. Spike and Whistler were sent here by the Powers. Spike is a Champion for them and Whistler is in service to them. They both help fight on the side of good.” Giles went on to explain Spike’s history to Xander and Willow.

Giles talked for what seemed like hours when he was done Willow had the first question. “So you were evil, but turned over a new leaf in another dimension. You helped save the world a few times and the Powers rewarded you?”

“That’s about the size of it Red.” Spike took a seat in one of the chairs nearby and stretched his legs out. He noticed that Xander flinched a bit when he got close but didn’t mention it. The Whelp isn’t any more trusting in this dimension. Gonna have to work on him. “The Powers gave me a mission.” Willow and Xander looked intrigued at this. “The slayer…”

Giles took pity on Spike, “It seems that Buffy hasn’t had an easy time with her calling. In years past potential slayers were removed from their home and trained by the council. Each was assigned a watcher to help research and train them. That was back when most people still believed in superstition. Nowadays most don’t believe in the supernatural so the council hasn’t been able to remove these girls. They get into fights, have to skip classes and in Buffy’s case she actually had to burn down her school to destroy a vampire infestation. You can imagine the trouble it caused. Their parents don’t believe them when they say they were fighting vampires or demons.”

“Yeah well that makes sense. I mean I’m having trouble with it!” Xander gave a disbelieving chuckle.

Spike quickly slipped into his game face. “Believe it. Be careful going out at night. Always carry a cross and holy water. Don’t go off with strangers.” His voice was deeper and slightly slurred because of his fangs. Both teens were shocked into silence and Spike allowed his human visage to come back into place.

“Be that as it may, Buffy has begun to lament the loss of her regular life. She does not want to continue in her duties as the slayer. While I am saddened by this I do not fault her. Being the slayer has meant a lonely, harsh, brutally short life for those that came before her. The constant fighting every night, the injuries, no friends or family, it all leads to an early death for these girls. There really is nothing we can do about that except hope that she will eventually rejoin the fight. We can’t force her or make her do what we want and we shouldn’t judge her. No one can understand just how hard and lonely the life of a slayer is. Everyone has free will and the ability and right to choose their own way in life and we can do nothing to interfere with that.” Giles looked directly at Willow and Xander hoping the message got across to them.

He clearly remembered what the Oracles showed him. Willow and Xander, although well meaning, had tried on numerous occasions to make Buffy behave the way they thought she should. It ruined the lives all of them should have had. They spent so much time concerned with how Buffy should behave and what they thought she should want that they let their own relationships falter to the point that everyone was alone and miserable. He hoped that telling them that everyone had the right to chose their own path they would learn that lesson now rather than later.

“That is why Spike was sent to us. He will in effect be the slayer. He will take over all her duties in Sunnydale until such time as Buffy resumes her duties or another girl is chosen. Spike will patrol every night staking the vampires and killing the demons that cause problems or feed on humans. There are those that will try to end the world or who will try to use the power of the hellmouth for nefarious means. Spike and hopefully both of you will endeavor to stop them.”

Whistler had kept quiet up till this point, Xander and Willow looked shell shocked with all the information they had received. He felt that there was something that he should add. “Not all demons are evil. Some mind their own business and don’t feed off humans. Some are evil; they want to cause destruction and mayhem. Our job is to stop the second kind. My job here is to receive visions. They’re like an early warning system. If the PTB think there is something important coming they send me a little heads up about it.”

“The lot of you need to go home and think about this. It’s not some game, this is serious life and death. After you think about it and if you still want to help that’s good. If not no one will think any less of you.”
“Spike is quite right, these are serious matters. You need to think long and hard before you commit to helping. But this is also not something that you can spread all over campus. Most won’t believe you others will think you have gone crazy. But it is serious and dangerous.” Taking a deep breath Giles went on, “That was to be my role here in Sunnydale. At first I thought I was to be Buffy’s watcher. But with the arrival of Whistler and Spike and the information they have provided my duties have changed. I am now going to work with them.”

After saying goodnight to everyone Giles escorted Willow and Xander home to think about what they had learned.

                                                                           §

Buffy was having dreams; she’d been having them ever since she arrived in Sunnydale. At first she couldn’t see anything. There were no faces or even landmarks to let her know where she was. She could hear a voice though. It was a male voice, deep and rich with an English accent. It wasn’t Giles of that she was sure. It took a couple of weeks for her to realize that these weren’t ordinary dreams but slayer dreams. And that fact pissed her off. She was done being the ‘Chosen One’ she had made that clear so why in world was she having these dreams. Buffy hadn’t done one single patrol since she arrived in this town, determined to let that part of her life fade into the distance.

The last dream was the one that wigged her out enough to go and speak to Giles about. There was that voice, telling her he would kill her on Saturday. Rushing into the library before class on Monday morning Buffy was able to corner Giles in his office. “Giles listen I’ve been getting these dreams. There’s this guy and he says he’s going to kill me on Saturday.”

“Can you describe him?”

“No, I can’t see his face. He’s English though and I heard clapping but that’s it.” Buffy flopped down on the couch in the office. “Why am I still getting these dreams? I told you I’m done with all of this.”

“Buffy you should know as well as I do that unless you die you are the slayer. The fact that you have chosen to ignore your calling means little to the powers. You are the slayer despite your feelings on the matter and as such you will receive slayer dreams. In light of your announcement at the beginning of school I have assembled a group who are willing to fight in your stead. I will inform them of your dream and we shall endeavor to stop it from occurring.” Giles was well aware of what Buffy was dreaming about. Giles knew that Buffy was dreaming about her first meeting with Spike in the other dimension. It seemed that the Oracles were correct. Buffy was screaming out from the heavens for her lost love. It appeared that her mourning was manifesting itself as slayer dreams to the Buffy of this dimension.  

“What do you mean you have others?”

“I have found others willing to fight the forces of evil; two humans, classmates of yours to be exact and two demons in service to the powers. You said you wanted a normal life, you refused to fight the demons and vampires. I have a sworn duty to protect this world and as such I made contact with others who feel the same way. They have been patrolling every night in your place. We shall continue to take on your duties as our numbers swell. I shall do everything in my power to give you that normal life you so desperately want. I would only ask that if you receive any more slayer dreams you inform me of them. They could prove to be extremely helpful to our cause.”

“So that’s it? I say I’m done and you just find someone else to take my place?” she crossed her arms and pouted.

“I thought that this was what you wanted? You must know that I could not just allow the forces of darkness to take over simply because you refuse to do your duty? There are others in service to the powers in this world. They have agreed to assist and I must say they have been doing an impressive job. Other than what your dreams may impart I cannot see that your assistance is necessary any longer.” Giles was feeling slightly ashamed at his treatment of Buffy, but he knew from what he had learned that she would not be able to ignore her calling. Her love of humanity would eventually make her choose to fight. But he needed to tread carefully. The girls that were chosen to be slayers had an innate need to join in the fight. By denying her a place in that fight he was hoping she would feel the pull and rejoin them.

“Let me get this straight. You have two kids and two demons helping you? Do you honestly think you can trust a couple of demons? To save the world from demons? Come on Giles you have to be smarter than that. They’re playing with you, making you trust them and then when you least expect it Wham! They’ll turn on you.”

“Buffy, the world isn’t black and white. Everyone human and demon, has free will, the ability to choose their actions. I am certain that my trust in these two beings is not misplaced. And quite frankly it is no longer your concern.” With Giles abrupt dismissal of her Buffy left the library deep in thought.