AN: Thanks to dawnofme for being a great beta :)


Buffy circled Restfield Cemetery three times before heading towards Spike’s crypt. Her courage came in waves.

“Come on, Buffy. You know he loves you. Just tell him how you feel.” She tried to ignore the voice of doubt; the voice that said maybe he finally had had enough. Maybe she was too difficult, too harsh, and too undeserving, and he would leave or laugh, breaking her heart like she had done to him.

“It’s your turn to go to him. He deserves that,” she said to convince herself to try. She refused to allow her past issues to bollix this chance up. Grinning at her word choice, she found the last boost she needed to move forward.

When she reached the door, she hesitated but still managed to go in. Taking a deep breath, Buffy put a smile on her face and ventured onward. Flickering lights illuminated the crypt’s stone walls, while the “I Love Lucy” theme song floated on the air.

“Spike?” she said and walked to the couch. Her smile faded as her eyes met Clem and not her vampire.

“Hiya, Slayer,” Clem said, waving cheese-stained fingers. He held the bag out. “Chip?”

Buffy shook her head and fiddled with her fingers. Keeping her voice casual, she asked, “So, where’s Spike?”

“Left town. Asked me to keep a watch on his place. Can’t leave prime real estate like this abandoned for too long.”

Buffy opened her mouth, but her words tangled in her throat. “He left?” she whispered. “Did he…did he say why?” Silly, Buffy, the voice told her, you already know why.

Clem scratched his head, leaving an orange glop on his scalp. “I think he said he had to get something. ‘See a man about a girl’ were his exact words.”

Buffy’s strength faltered, and she collapsed on the couch, glazed eyes staring at nothing.

Clem gave her a hesitant pat on the back. “Come on, Slayer, don’t be like that. He didn’t leave that long ago, and I’m pretty sure he was going to the train station.”

Shaking her head, Buffy’s eyes focused on the demon with her brow set in anger. “Well, why didn’t you say that before?”

Holding up his hands in defense, he said, “Wasn’t really thinking, and I had no clue you were going to get so upset. Sorry.”

The anger passed, and hope replaced it. Her eyes glimmered, and she bolted off the couch. “No, I’m sorry,” she said. “I should have…but…I’ve got to…”

Clem nodded. “Go get him, Slayer.”


After flicking the cigarette nub away, Spike pulled another out of his duster and lit it. The train had yet to arrive, and he felt like he would be older than Angelus’ whore of a sire before he could get what he needed.

He paced in front of the bench, the flickering streetlamps putting his nerves on edge.

“Patience, William,” he told himself and forced his body to sit. His eyes traveled to the sky, which sparkled with dotted stars. A smirk edged across his face as he recalled Dru’s misguided, but good-natured attempt to name them all.

“Simpler times,” he said and laughed. Caring for Dru and all her insanity seemed the park stroll when compared to his current “relationship.” He took a final drag of his cigarette and let it drop to the gravel. He knew that simpler did not always mean better or guarantee happiness, and that just maybe he could find the latter with his change.

Spike settled back into the bench and pulled a battered book out of his pocket. With one hand, he traced the book’s edges, ending with a gentle caress of the cover. Looking down, he opened the binding and began to read the sonnet’s lines.

His head jerked up in alert when he saw movement to his left. His eyes widened in shock. “Buffy? What are you doing here?”

Buffy turned her head sideways and smiled—her face exuding warmth and comfort. She raised her hand to his face but stopped before making contact. Instead, she brought it to the hem of her skirt, worrying the fabric there, but keeping eye contact with him.

Her gestures puzzled Spike. “Are you alright, Lu—Slayer?”

“I’m more than alright,” she replied, eyes never leaving his questioning stare. “I want you in my life, Spike, and you doing this will make it a reality.”

His jaw clenched. How had she found out? His brain worked to remember whether he had told Clem his plan. Unease started to settle in his gut. Placing the book back in his duster, Spike stood. “Me doing what?” he asked.

Giggles escaped from her form. “It’s ok, Spike. I know what you’re doing, and I want you to trust that it’s the right decision. Don’t let anyone tell you differently.”

“I’ll be sure to stay resolved then,” he said, unsure of what was causing him such alarm.

Buffy walked up to face him, her body inches from his. “That’s my vampire,” she whispered. He closed his eyes to inhale her scent, and flung them open when no hint of vanilla and jasmine met his nostrils. He stumbled backwards as his gaze met deserted ground. Pinching his chest to make sure he wasn’t dreaming, he surveyed the station to make certain no one was there.

“Bloody hell,” he said. “I must be losing my mind.” He reached in his pocket for another light and scowled when his hand came up empty. “Gonna need a mess of smokes to calm down after that,” he muttered. Spike noticed the store beside the train station was still open, and he headed over to restock.


Sweat beaded on Buffy’s brow as she sprinted. Her clothes clung to her body, but she paid no attention. She refused to allow this to be a rerun of the helicopter incident. This time, she really did want to make it. She had to stop him from leaving town and from leaving her by going to some remote location where postcards and phone lines couldn’t reach. Spike held her focus, and nothing could stop her—nothing except badly timed vampires.

“Why now?” she asked as a gang of five vamps emerged and blocked her path.

“Hello, Slayer,” said the lead vampire, who looked more suited for a frat party than the forces of evil.

“Uh, hi,” she replied. “Do you think we can make this quick? I’ve got somewhere I need to be.”

He chuckled. The rest followed suit like a pack of hyenas catching up on the joke. “I’d wager you’ll be taking a rain check on that one. You’ve got somewhere more important to be.”

After pulling a stake from her waistband, Buffy crossed her arms over her chest, tapping the weapon against her bicep. She tilted her head sideways. “And just where would that be?”

“In the ground,” he sneered and lunged at her. One of the flunkies whipped a chain out of his jacket and swung it above his head lasso-style.

Using her supernatural reflexes, Buffy stabbed the first vamp, but the chain caught her arm, causing her to lose balance. As she fell, she tugged hard at the links, bringing the roper down with her. A jerk of the chain brought him within staking distance. She flipped herself upright after dusting him and prepared herself for the last three who resembled frightened schoolboys caught in the middle of a prank and awaiting their punishment.

“Do you guys still want to do this? We could meet up another time if you’re so gung-ho on joining your dusty friends here,” she said and gestured to the remains already being carried off by the breeze.

“Sorry, Slayer,” a bulky one said. “We’ve got strict orders. You’ve got to die tonight, and it’ll be way worse to go back in failure than to be dusted by you.”

“Whose orders?”

Another vampire, finding new confidence, stepped forward and grinned. “You couldn’t even fathom the power of that which we serve. Even if you succeed in killing us, you’ll never be able to stop our master. We would be doing you a fav-”

His words halted when Buffy’s stake plunged into his heart. The other two stared in shock as his form faded away. Their gaze met Buffy’s.

“You bad guys really need to do less talking and get to the point if the job’s that important. Your master can’t be too powerful if he’s enlisting idiots like you.”

The last two rushed her, and she dispatched the first one easily. The second once almost got his hands on her, but she rolled her shoulder back, causing him to stumble forward. She flung the stake at him, embedding it in his upper back. Before he could reach to pull it out, she grabbed his head between her hands and twisted it off—a killing blow Spike would have relished. She wiped the dust off her clothes as that thought brought her back to the real mission of the night. She could worry about the new evil power later. Right now, she had to get to Spike before he became a “what if” that would haunt her forever.