Alternate Lives.

Buffy and Spike walked back to her house with the knowledge that Angel still followed them. It was fast becoming annoying. How was she to tell Angel to leave them alone. He had been her first major love and then he left her. Now she had Spike, the last person on Earth she thought she would ever be with. Except he had this pull on her body, her heart. He understood the darkness in her and he accepted it without reservation. That comforted her in an odd way.

Stopping Buffy turned to Angel and glared at him, "Was this something that you wanted to say to me totally important?" Buffy demanded.

"Not with Spike around." Angel growled.

"Sorry, but you lost the right to talk to me alone when you left town." Buffy shot back. "And Spike isn't going anywhere." She tightened her hand on his and felt his surprise but he stayed with her.

"Those duplicates that were here, you must send them home."

"You came all this way just to tell us that?"

"They could..."

"Angel go home and leave them to us." Spike turned with Buffy and left. The plan was to send the others home.

Together they arrived at Buffy's house to see Riley sitting on the porch. Buffy knew she should let go of Spike's had, she should try to talk to Riley alone, but all of her wanting wouldn't make her let go of Spike. He felt right with her and she needed the stability. "You'd rather be with a demon than a human?" Riley asked. There was no emotion in his voice.

"She prefers me mate."

Buffy couldn't argue that. It didn't mean that she still didn't feel bad about what he was going through. "Riley, I know I screwed up but..."

"No, no I understand. You want a dead man." Riley got up and walked over to Spike. She knew what was going to happen. Before Riley's fist could make contact with Spike's jaw Buffy caught it and squeezed.

"Don't make this harder." She pleaded.

"Buffy..."

"I didn't mean to hurt you." Buffy lowered her head and let go of Riley's fist.

Spike let go of Buffy's hand and kissed her temple, "I'll go inside and get the others ready." He kissed her temple again before stepping around Soldier Boy with his Slayer.

Inside Spike had to make a concentrated effort not to slam the door off of it's hinges. It took an even greater effort to leave Buffy's side for what he knew was going to be an awkward break up.

"Hey Spike," Dawn came down the stairs smiling.

"Hey there Lil bit. Where are the doubles?"

"They're in the kitchen. I heard they're getting sent back to their world." She came up to his side.

"That's the plan. I don't envy them the world their going to though." Spike glanced to the window in the door and saw Buffy still talking to Soldier Boy. It irked him that she was still out there. She was his and that should made him feel secure but every second she was still out there was one more second Spike doubted himself.

"She's not going to go back to him." Dawn whispered.

"Yeah, I know," Spike put his hand on top of Dawn's head and smiled at her.

Outside Buffy felt the cold as Spike left her alone. He knew she needed to handle this herself. Spike seemed to create tension no matter who he was with and that wasn't something she needed right now. "Riley, I know..."

"Tell me why is it Spike?" Riley asked. "That's all I want to know."

"He makes me feel normal." Buffy answered. "I'm the Slayer and he gets that. Spike doesn't shy away or deny my darkness."

"Are you saying that I did?"

"You don't understand it. I'm not a freak when I'm with Spike. I can fight with him and be beaten by him and know that it's normal."

"That's messed up."

"But that's the thing. I'm the Slayer and I'm not normal and Spike makes me feel like I can be normal."

"And I can't?" Riley asked. He stood up and moved closer to Buffy. The last few days had been a roller coaster with every thing that happened.

"Riley, I..." Buffy had no more explanations to give him. Spike was the one she needed.

"Don't let him kill you."

"That chip in his head won't let him hurt me, just demons." Buffy replied. "Take care of yourself Riley."

Buffy watched Riley walk off into the night. He just faded away like a cliche and Buffy didn't seem to mind that. She knew that Spike was waiting for her just inside her house and he was going to be there for her no matter what she said to him, how she screamed at him, or how they beat each other. In truth she liked fighting with him. The fighting boiled her blood and fueled her. She fed off of it. Spike was energy to her. He was her battery.

"You know he was going to leave sooner or later, pet."

Buffy turned to see Spike watching her. the cold she had felt when he left fled and was replaced by warmth. "Yeah, guess I was a fool to think that I could keep someone like him around." She sighed and went to him. Spike opened his arms for her, pulling her close and just holding her.

"You'll never get rid of me luv."

"I know and for once in my life I'm glad it's you saying that to me." Buffy replied securing her arms around Spike's lean waist as she inhaled the scent of his crypt, the scent of his flesh, and the scent of her blood.

Peering though the door the other Spike and Buffy watched their counterparts hold each other in the night. 'Think they'll be ok?' Buffy asked leaning back into her Spike's embrace.

'I think so pet. They have a long road to travel but it will be worth it.'

'Then we only have to head home to our world and fight to survive.'

'Sounds like our life.' Buffy laughed and continued to watch them. They would be ok and so would she and Spike. Being in this place made her miss her world all the more. There was nothing wrong with nightly slayings. Each one brought her closer and closer to killing the Master.