"Shine Down"

"So tired sleeping through the day
Bloodshot eyes and sweat from my body
And I picked my head up yesterday
Found the reason of hope left inside of me

But I still believe in immortal love
And I know there's someone above

Shine down, don't take it away from me, no
And I know you know how, yeah
Shine down, just give me a chance to feel it
It's taken forever to get me off the ground

Haunted silence overwhelming me
Deny takes it's toll on my sanity
And I know I've been away too long
All these years I've been hiding
I'm feeling I'm coming strong

But I still believe in immortal love
And I know there's someone that's up above
Show me a path to find my way
And give me a reason pray

Shine down, don't take it away from me, no
And I know you know how, yeah
Shine down, just give me a chance to feel it
It's taken forever to get me off the ground

Shine down, don't take it away from me, no
And I know you know how, yeah
And shine down, just give me a chance to feel it
It's taken forever to get me off the ground
Shine down
Shine down
Oh, shine down
Oh baby, yeah, yeah, yeah
Shine down
Oh, shine down
Oh, shine down
Oh baby shine down" Godsmack (Shine Down IV 2006)


Everything was too bright and too cold. Spike didn’t recognize any of the blurry shapes around him. The sounds, smells, and sights made no sense. A low growl filled the room. It grew louder and stronger with each passing moment. Everything hurt and he didn’t know how to react. Spike remembered dieing. He remembered the pain and heat that surrounded and filled his entire being. He remembered hearing the cavern explode around him, then nothing as he died. What came after he refused to think about.

“Spike.”

Turning, Spike’s eyes landed on one figure he’d recognize anywhere.

“What did you do to me!”

His anguished roar filled the spacious office making it feel cold and desolate. Spike tried to tackle his hated Grand sire. He would have made it, if not for the dizzy spell that washed over him. The world seemed to tilt around him and then suddenly stop. Everything went black and Spike crashed to the floor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“He has a heart beat…..”

“How did this happen……”

“Don’t care….take care of it…”

Opening his eyes, Spike stared into a pair of soft concerned brown eyes. The slight figure smiled warmly at him as her small hand gently helped ease him into an up right position. Spike’s vision had cleared since he’d passed out and he could see that he was in an expensive lab. The scent and feel of the place reminded him too much of the Initiative. Some memories where best left locked away.

“Am I in hell?” Spike asked. He was completely confused. The place he was in felt wrong and yet the pretty brunette who had helped him didn’t feel evil.

“I wish.” Angel muttered. He stopped his next comment from being spoken at the glare Fred was sending him.

“No sweetie.” A large green demon answered. His red eyes were kind and he felt like the tiny woman next to Spike.

“Your in L.A though some people have made that mistake before.”

“How did I get here.” Spike looked from face to face seeking an answer. His head hurt and he was tired. Spike didn’t want to be here. He didn’t want to be anywhere. He was supposed to die and stay dead. There was no one who would care enough to try and resurrect him so he’d been ready. Now he wasn’t dead and he didn’t know why he was back.

“What do you remember about dieing?” Asked a British man with dark hair. He was stiff and formal. Spike could see the label of Watcher written all over him. What he was doing with Angel, Spike had no clue.

“You mean do I remember the light shining out from my soul, my organs liquefying, my eye balls boiling, as I burned up from the inside while saving the world? Nope don’t remember a thing.” Spike grumbled. His headache had increase, the pressure behind his eyes reminding him of the feeling he’d get after his chip had finished firing. Only this pain didn’t seem to be going away.

“He saved the world?” The large black man asked, confused.

“He has a soul?” It was the tiny woman on his right who had spoken.

“It didn’t seem important at the time.”

“It seems there was a lot that didn’t seem very important.” The Watcher scolded.

It seemed that all was not hearts and flowers with Angel’s group. He’d withheld information from his people. Not surprisingly, Spike thought. The bastard not only had an inflated sense of his own worth but he was also a control freak. It still puzzled Spike what anyone saw in the great oaf. Suddenly the pain in his head became unbearable. Grabbing his head he groaned as the agony increase. Eyes squeezed shut, images flashed before his eyes. Spike’s body jerked and he howled in pain. To the others it looked as if he was having a seizure. As quickly as it had started the intense pain stopped, leaving a throbbing ache in his head. Taking deep breaths, Spike tried to will the pain away as he tried to make sense of what was happening to him.

“Dear God. Did he just……” Wesley asked looking at the faces of his friends.

“Spike. Can you hear me?” Fred asked softly. When his eyes were raised to hers she continued.

“Did you just have a vision?”

“No, no he didn’t. It‘s impossible…” Angel stated flatly.

“He has a soul. He died saving the world. He was brought back, incidentally right here in your office. Cordelia is in a coma and we have no idea if she will ever regain consciousness. How is Spike having visions impossible Angel?” Wesley asked, waiting for Angel to try to refute his arguments.

“How about we let the poor bloke who just suffered through the damn thing answer the question?”

All eyes turned to Spike. With the exception of Fred and Lorne the others had seemed to forget he was sitting in the room.

“Spike, honey, what did you see?” Lorne asked placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Don’t rightly know. It was some room with a table of sorts in the center. Big fat guy was chanting over a dead body.” Spike recited, rubbing his still aching forehead. “This has never happened to me. Dru was the one with visions, not me.”

Reaching out, Fred took one of his hands into hers and gave it a gentle squeeze. Catching Lorne’s gaze the two of them came to a conclusion. There was something about the pain in Spike’s voice and eyes that called out to them. It now became their job to make sure he was alright.

“Heinsly.” Gunn answered. “He’s a necromancer. We recently abolished the practice of supplying some of our clients with fresh bodies.”

“Wait a minute! Heinsly? Clients? Where the bloody hell am I?” Spike asked feeling overwhelmed.

“Wolfram and Heart.”

The simple answer nearly caused Spike’s eyes to bug out of his head. It was all too much for him and he promptly passed out, again.