Spike's Return

Disclaimer: OK, yet again let me say I don't own any characters in this or any other story I may write. Although I would love to own Spike if Joss wants to get rid of him, hehehehehehehe.

Story so far: Spike has returned to Buffy with his Soul, has already been through the guilt process and had re-affirmed his bond with his Sire Angel. Angel and Buffy have now found each other and are permanently joined with Angel's permission. They are now preparing to save the world, AGAIN, but Angelus returned and then Buffy and Spike showed him what they can really do! Now Willow is back and the whole team are going off to fight another apocalypse.

Enjoy! and please review!
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Willow finally pinpointed the exact location of the portal as she felt the energy build up. She led them all to a scorched clearing in Sunnydale’s dark woods.

"Someone knew about this! They’ve cleansed the area with fire, just recently by the smell of things. Someone, or something, wants this portal to open very much!" Giles ranted as he quickly scanned the area.

Willow led Dawn to the centre of the clearing and with a few soft words, surrounded her with quartz crystals, telling Dawn it was to help focus the energy. Giles and Anya stood at diagonal sides of the circle and Willow faced Dawn with a smile, before closing her eyes and chanting quickly.

Everyone watched in amazement as an arch of blue light appeared over the four people, slowly expanded to a globe that that engulfed them.

While Willow talked her companions through the ritual, Xander walked over to Buffy. Buffy nodded as Xander motioned a requested to join her in warming up for the fight.

Spike watched them, leaning against a nearby tree, as they stretched and idly chatted, lighting up a cigarette to calm himself. It wasn’t just that his mate had just bent over in front of him to flex her back muscles, well maybe partly he grinned to himself, but what if things went wrong? If they couldn’t siphon off a safe amount of Dawn’s mystical energy without harming her, would they have to…… No! Spike shook himself, he wouldn’t let Buffy, or Dawn, do that again.

He pushed himself off the tree and called out to his mate through the bond, he needed the comfort of having her in his arms, and holding her tightly to him. She was there in an instant, sensing his need and sharing it. She sighed audibly as Spike’s arms wrapped around her, promising her the world and of never giving up.

"Mine" "Mine" Buffy agreed as Spike sunk his fangs into her mark and she in turn bit hard enough to draw a few drops of blood. Spike only took a sip of her blood as he didn’t want to weaken her for the fight ahead, but it was enough to cement the bond.


"Buffy, Spike! It’s time!" Willow’s voice broke through their reverie, and with a final kiss thy moved towards the group. Xander had already chosen his weapons, a long handled axe and a dagger strapped to his hip in case of a closer encounter, and was already standing in place next to the shield Willow had erected.

Spike winked at Dawn as they passed her, reassuring her in an instant through their connection that she would be safe, she visibly relaxed and smiled at him gratefully. He picked up a sword and axe that matched Buffy’s selection exactly. Both sets were etched with symbols and both felt they were much lighter than they should be.

Buffy glanced at the edge of the clearing where Angelus was leering at her through the bars.

"What’s the matter Slayer? Nervous?" Angelus spat at her, glaring at her as Spike moved to put his arm around her and she turned away.

Then suddenly the wind picked up and everyone but Willow looked up to see the portal opening before them and loud gasps erupted from the crowd as the whole area, except for Willow’s space, was bathed in red light.

Buffy quickly pulled away from Spike, after placing a chaste kiss on his lips, relieved when he grinned at her. They both moved closer and took up a battle stance ready for the action. The portal widened until it took up almost one side of the clearing.

"Spike, let Angelus out, I’ve temporarily reversed the Sire/Childe bond, you can now order him to fight, he will comply I have made it that strong." Willow called out, letting too busy doing to notice the portals arrival.

Spike ran at the cage, not wanting to leave his mate’s side any longer than necessary. Using a few growls to back up his words he ordered Angelus to fight demons only, on the other side of him, he knew how to work the bond to it’s full advantage, had done before on previous occasions. And although he usually preferred to have people working for him because they were scared, this worked too. He grinned at Angelus, who was more than slightly pissed off and even more so when he tried to attack Buffy and found that he couldn’t move. All he could do was fight by their side and let off some of his anger by killing anything that was stupid enough to face him, as Spike had also made sure he couldn’t bargain with the demons. Spike remembered Angelus’s tricks all too well, Angelus fumed.

Slowly as Buffy peered into the portal, straining to make something out, a huge Baccah demon emerged and headed straight for her. She shook her head at Spike, who in turn held back Angelus, and smiled at the demon.

"Man, are you ugly! Guess I’ll just have to kill you then!" The demon just looked at her, not understanding the words, but catching the deadly undertones and sensing how capable she was of carrying out whatever threat she had made.

Buffy used his hesitation to her advantage and before it knew what was happening, she had jumped over his head and turned sharply as she landed behind him, swung the axe behind her and aimed it at his ample neck with all the strength she could muster.

The Baccah roared in pain and surprise, flailing to reach the axe which had embedded itself halfway into his neck. Spike immediately leapt forward and swung his axe easily at the other side of his neck, meeting her axe in the middle releasing it as the demons head rolled off it’s shoulders. It landed a few feet away from Angelus, who carelessly kicked it into the portal, laughing as it hit another demon who was coming through the portal.

Even Buffy had to crack a smile with Spike as the latest demon roared in anger, but the Vampires’ sensed a hint of fear and it invigorated them. They double-teamed it, and while Angel rained blows down upon it’s body, thoroughly enjoying himself, Spike leapt upon it’s back, vamping out as he broke it’s neck.

The battle continued for the next hour and Buffy was in quite a lot of pain, but managed to block it from her subconscious so Spike wouldn’t worry and lose focus, which could get him hurt. She had been sliced by one of the Baccah demons, but didn’t have time to see how bad it was.

So she fought, relieved as she saw Willow had begun the ritual to close the portal, and watched briefly as green trails of energy left Dawn’s body and floated into the portal. It was closing, but it was such a slow process that Willow warned them it could take up to half an hour to close completely.

Buffy knew Spike had a couple of broken ribs and some minor cuts and bruises, but otherwise he was fine. He was clearly enjoying the fight, as his grin had been plastered on his face since his first kill.

Angelus, however, hadn’t fared so well. He was limping slightly, and it looked like he had broken his arm and had a very deep gash on his face as well as several broken ribs, and by the look on his face, was in a great deal of pain. And as mush as the vampire enjoyed pain, it looked like he wasn’t coping very well. Spike noticed as well, and told him to back to the cage, and as Buffy was nearest she followed him to lock him back in. he just sank to the ground to recover.

Just as she turned the key and slipped it into her pocket, a demon leapt at her, kicking the side where her already deep gash suffered a further set back by being ripped open further.

Buffy screamed in pain, so loudly that even the demon hesitated and Angelus growled his anger at the Baccah. Just as she began to fade out, she looked up at the demon in time to see Spike snap it’s neck in fury.

"Spike… I…… ahhhhhh…." Buffy couldn’t even finish her sentence as the forest started to spin. Spike lifted her shirt up to inspect the wound, he could smell her blood and sense her pain now she wasn’t blocking it, and gasped in horror at the sight.

She was gushing with blood and it was at least five inches across and an inch deep. He could hardly believe she had been able to carry on fighting. He carefully lifted her into his arms trying to avoid her wound, wincing as she hissed in pain nonetheless, and carried her towards Willow.

Willow felt Buffy’s pain as they neared and her eyes widened as she lowered the force field and raised it again as soon as Xander joined them. The portal was still closing but was now small enough that nothing bigger than a beach ball could get through, so Willow could concentrate on Buffy.

Xander handed Spike his thermos of blood as he took a bottle of water out of the bag for himself. Spike nodded his thanks and drank deeply, never taking his eyes off of his mate.

Willow snapped her head back and said a few words, a blue light engulfing Buffy as she spoke. Buffy’s eyes snapped open as the wound began to close and her face was etched with pain as she reached for Spike. Spike was next to her in a flash, she gripped his hand so tight it nearly broke his fingers but he hardly noticed. He could feel the pain she was feeling and felt relieved that it was lessening.

Finally after a few minutes which felt like centuries, Buffy sat up, gingerly, and looked into Spike’s concerned eyes. Before Buffy had time to speak, Spike had gathered her to him and she felt how scared he had been for her, despite her immortality that she shared with Spike now, it could have damaged her enough to cause disability that would have crippled her enough to prevent her carrying out her Slayer duties.

"It’s okay love, I’m fine. See?" Buffy tilted his head to look into her eyes and smiled at him before looking at Willow.

"I don’t know how….. Thank you!" Buffy could hardly find the words to thank her and Spike just growled to convey his gratitude, as he busied himself nuzzling their mark.

Buffy eased him off gently and gave him a soft kiss before looking up at the portal which was only still visible by the faint red glow surrounding it. Willow followed her gaze and they all watched as she took Dawn’s hand and pointed the other at the red glow. A wave of green energy passed through Willow and travelled along her arm and shot out towards what was left of the portal. It closed in seconds, and immediately the force field dropped.

Willow closed her eyes again and the forest began to shimmer and when they blinked they were all in their own bedrooms.