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Time after Time by BuffyMeetsSpike
 
Time to Go
 
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Disclaimer: All the characters and recognizable dialog are the property of Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. I’m just borrowing them. Thank you so much to all my encouraging reviewers, and also to my wonderful beta, SanityFair.
 
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Chapter 9 Time to Go
 
They finally fell asleep about mid-morning, worn out from hours of lovemaking. Spike was nestled up behind her, one arm protectively wrapped around her waist as they slept. At some point he became aware of a strange feeling of distress that came from outside his own mind. It took him a few sleepy minutes to realize that Buffy was having a nightmare.
 
Rome was in flames. Michelangelo’s Pieta lay in fragments in a square as demons stomped and roared, chasing the terrified populace. Dawn lay in a bloody heap, with Slayers fighting around her, falling one by one. Willow was producing spell after spell, getting weaker and weaker but nothing could slow the onslaught…
 
The images were so vivid and terrifying that even Spike paled at what was being shown on the screen of Buffy’s mind. He shook her awake. “Buffy, wake up! Buffy!”
 
Buffy startled awake and sat bolt upright, fighting back a terrified shriek. “Oh God, Spike,” she gasped, clinging to him. “I dreamed…”
 
“I know. Heard it loud and clear.” He lay them back down, wrapping his arms around her and stroking her back.
 
“That’s the future, isn’t it,” she said in a shaky voice. “That’s what will happen if we don’t do this.”
 
“Probably a good guess,” Spike agreed reluctantly. After a moment he asked, “Is that what those Slayer dreams are always like?”
 
“The prophetic type ones, yeah. One of the many perks of being the chosen one,” Buffy answered with a touch of bitterness.
 
“Don’t envy you those.” Spike suppressed a shudder as the vision replayed briefly in his own mind.
 
Do you think this is some sort of punishment? Buffy mused, lapsing back into telepathy. Did we do something wrong to piss off the Powers that Be or something?
 
Spike thought about that for a second. I guess in some weird way it’s more of a reward. I mean the world gets a reset, and we hopefully end up back in our own times with no knowledge of the previous timeline. Sort of a crappy reward, in my humble opinion. I certainly have no great desire to be what I once was.
 
I just can’t imagine what my world will be like without you.
 
Probably entirely uninteresting, Spike answered, trying to lighten the mood. You know you’d be bored stiff without me around.
 
Yeah, whatever would I do without a smartass vampire always popping up on patrol? Buffy teased back. I should have been more grateful for the help, now that I think about it. All I ever did was give you a hard time.
 
I probably deserved it, love. No sense worrying about it now though. He tightened his arms around her, and buried his face in her hair. We should try to get some more sleep. Need our strength for what’s to come.
 
You’re probably right, Buffy agreed. Clinging to each other in quiet desperation, they eventually dozed off again.
 
Spike awoke at dusk and just lay there watching Buffy sleep. She was so beautiful and so vulnerable, despite her supernatural strength. As he watched her, he thought about all she had been through. Getting killed by the Master. Losing her virginity to Angel and bringing out Angelus for her pains. Having to kill Angel. Now that he had spent time in her thoughts and memories, he understood exactly how hard it had been for her. She had lost her mother, her boyfriend, and her life all in one year, only to be dragged back to do it all again. She had watched him die, and it humbled him to know how much that had affected her. Now she had to once more put her own life and happiness on the line because some roll of the cosmic dice had made her the Slayer. Maybe she won’t be this time. Maybe this time she’ll get to be a normal girl, go to college, and spend her nights dancing with friends rather than killing things. It was hard to imagine her as anything but the Slayer, but he knew how much this life had worn her down. Gotta give her the chance to be happy.
 
He got out of bed carefully and got dressed as quietly as he could. He had his hand on the doorknob when the voice in his mind said, Where do you think you’re going? He turned to see Buffy sitting up in bed, arms folded. You were going to leave me and go after Darla yourself.
 
Well, yeah, he admitted sheepishly. Thought it would be easier that way.
 
She got out of bed and stalked over to him, slightly less intimidating than usual for being naked. “Get it through your fat head that we are doing this together, okay? This is hard enough without you sneaking out behind my back, understand?” She stood with her hands on her hips, giving him the most fearsome resolve face ever produced.
 
Spike knew he was defeated. “Don’t want you to suffer any more than necessary that’s all. Not trying to sneak out on you, pet.” He pulled her close and kissed her until she relented.
 
“All right,” she said, mollified after the kiss. “But don’t you leave me. I want every moment I have coming to me.” Her voice broke a little as she realized what she had said and what it meant, but she forced herself to get dressed and follow Spike down the stairs.
 
“Good evening,” Maggie said as she saw them enter the room. “I was wonderin’ when the newlyweds were going to make an appearance.” Buffy blushed slightly, but Maggie put her at ease. “Now don’t be feeling ashamed. When my Jack and I were wed not a soul saw hide nor hair of us for a week, and that’s the truth. Now, will ye be needing some dinner?”
 
“Yes, thank you,” Spike said. She brought them roast chicken and bread and cheese. Spike handed her the gold sovereigns from the purse they had stolen. “Lest I forget, here’s the money for your hospitality.”
 
“Will ye be leaving us then?”
 
“It is likely I will conclude my business in Galway tonight, although we won’t leave until tomorrow,” Spike explained. “We have truly appreciated all you’ve done for us while we’ve been here. We shall recommend the Rose and Thorn to anyone we know traveling this way.”
 
“Thank ye kindly, sir. Such custom as yours I would welcome any day.” She left them to their dinner with a smile.
 
Buffy wasn’t particularly hungry, but she forced herself to eat something to avoid offending the kindly innkeeper. “So I guess we go out trolling for drunks again tonight?”
 
“That’s the plan. Darla was looking him over, so if I remember her M.O., she’ll try to get him alone tonight.”
 
Buffy picked at her dinner a little more then looked outside. It was dark, their time, time for Slayers and vampires to do their ancient dance. But tonight she felt that she didn’t care if she ever did that dance again. She pushed aside her plate and stood up. “We should go.” She felt she needed to get out there and get this over with before she lost her nerve.
 
Spike shared her feeling. He downed his ale, looked at the empty glass regretfully, and stood up with a sigh. “Let’s do this then.” He took her hand, kissed it tenderly, and led her out the door.
 
They headed for the market square, keeping their eyes peeled for either Liam or Darla. The streets seemed emptier tonight, probably because the weather had turned cooler. It was a clear night, with quite the array of bright stars overhead. They walked with their arms around each other, savoring every moment. There were no words they could say. All they could do was feel each other’s love and sadness. Buffy wished deep down that they wouldn’t find either of them or that something else would take this choice out of her hands.
 
But then they passed a tavern on the corner of the square and Spike caught Liam’s scent. Looking in the corner of the window they saw him and one of his cronies at a table in the back. They were laughing and slapping one another on the back as they drank. Buffy found herself feeling a deep contempt for this useless waste of a human. He was going to get to go on to live his life while she and Spike were going to get thrown about through time at the mercy of whatever powers were messing with them this time. Maybe we should just let you eat him, Buffy thought bitterly.
 
I’d probably get a stomachache, he replied. He looked around, and saw a dark doorway to a shop across the square. Come on, we can go lurk over there. He led her over to the doorway and pulled her against him, kissing her deeply.
 
Aren’t we supposed to be on stake out? Buffy asked, although she didn’t stop the kiss either.
 
I’ve got one eye open, Spike answered, which was true. But he was relying much more on vampire hearing as he reveled in her scent and the touch of her lips on his. Love you so much.
 
Love you, Spike. She reached up and ran her hands through the curls at the back of his head, memorizing the soft feel of them, loose and wild after a few days with no gel. His hands at the small of her back felt so solid, so right, and she felt that she could go on kissing him like this forever.
 
It was too good to last, and it didn’t. They heard a noise behind them and turned to see the tavern door opening and Liam and a friend staggering out. “We’ll be back when we’ve found a bit more cash money. Keep the girls warm for us, will ye?”
 
“Get out o’ here until ye can pay for all ye drink!” cried the proprietor, who slammed the door in his face.
 
Liam pounded on the door once or twice as his friend groaned, “Let’s go, Liam.”
 
Liam draped an arm over his friend’s shoulders as they staggered off. “Come one. We’ll take some of me father’s silver. He’ll never miss it.” But his companion was clearly much the worse for drink and proceeded to pass out face first in the street. Liam regarded him a bit blearily then said, “Why don’t you just rest right here then?” to his unconscious friend.
 
As Spike and Buffy watched from their hiding spot Liam staggered off down the street. Then he paused and watched as a young woman approached. Darla was dressed in fine silks and ribbons, looking beautiful and delicate with her pale neck stretching up to her finely coiffed hair. Liam’s outlook seemed to brighten. She gave Liam an over the shoulder, come-hither look and strolled off toward an alley with Liam following as if in a trance. Darla rounded the corner and Liam followed. Let’s go, Spike urged. Buffy bit her lip hard enough to draw blood, but she pulled out her stake nonetheless.
 
Keeping close to the buildings they crept through the shadows to the opening to the alley. Spike could hear Liam say, “I ask myself, what’s a lady of your station doing alone in an alley with the reputation that this one has?”
 
“Maybe she’s lonely,” came Darla’s coy response. Her playful tone seemed to indicate that she wasn’t aware that they were being watched.
 
Liam flirted right back. “In that case, I’d offer myself as escort to protect you from harm and to while away the dull hours.”
 
Buffy rolled her eyes. Oh please. Was he always this bad?
 
No, sometimes he was worse. Cautiously Spike peered around the corner. The two figures were concentrating on each other, and Liam was clearly falling under Darla’s spell. I’m going to go round to the other end of the alley, make sure that she doesn’t get away. He looked down at her, hesitating then pulled her into another kiss before stroking her face and taking off into the night. Buffy suppressed a sob as he left – it had been a kiss goodbye.
 
Wiping away tears, Buffy turned back to the task at hand. Darla was teasing Liam saying, “Are you certain you’re up to the challenge?”
 
“Milady,” Liam said with a smirk as he approached her. “You’ll find that with the exception of an honest day’s work, there’s no challenge I’m not prepared to face.”
 
Buffy started creeping down the alley, using barrels and trash heaps as cover. Liam was clearly entranced by this vision in this dark Galway alley, and Buffy could see Darla working her way closer to him. Buffy paused, gripping the stake. She knew she couldn’t get much closer without Darla becoming aware of her. She had to act. But once again she found that she couldn’t force herself to move.
 
Darla was saying, “Close your eyes.” Liam obeyed, his lips parting in anticipation, and for a moment looking like the angel he was named for. But a vision of the darkness and destruction of the battle flashed across her mind and she steeled herself to move.
 
Before she could act a blur of movement erupted from the other end of the alley. Then she found her feet moving as well and everything seemed to stretch out into slow motion. Spike flew down the alley with vampire speed toward Darla’s back. Darla had vamped and was about to latch onto Liam’s neck. Without thinking Buffy slammed into Liam, knocking him on his ass with a shout. Darla hissed and lunged for her but at that moment Spike leaped to close the distance and buried a stake in her back. Darla gasped and crumbled to dust.
 
“Spike!” Buffy cried. She ran to him but when they tried to touch each other they found they were fading into an incorporeal state.
 
Spike’s blue eyes locked onto hers, and as they faded from sight he said, “We’ll meet again. I can feel it.” Then both of them disappeared in front of the astonished eyes of Liam O’Connor.
 
TBC
 
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