Home

Chapter 16

Buffy woke to the sound of a busy house. She was sore and had barely healed. She winced as she got up and looked at herself in the full length mirror. Her back looked shredded, her neck wound was red and blistered and the bruising was purple. She felt tears well up but refused to let the fall. Waking in an empty bed told Buffy all she needed to know. Spike had left her. Despite last night's attack, she missed him, still loved him. Sighing , Buffy wandered into the bathroom and got herself ready.

Willow had cooked breakfast for everyone and had put a plate aside for Buffy. Xander, Willow Dawn and Giles sat in the kitchen, all discussing the night before and the revelations that had been voiced. The discussion died away as a bruised and dishevelled Buffy walked in. Buffy kept her focus on getting the juice from the fridge and pouring herself a glass. She blinked hard as she felt the weight of their stares on her back. Taking a deep breath, she turned and reached for her plate and put it straight in the bin. She left the kitchen with everyone watching her retreat, their mouths open and brows raised. Dawn went to go after her, Xander caught her arm and shook his head.

"She'll tell us when the Buffsters ready, asking her now will make her recede into herself or make her come out attacking you. She'll come to you and let you know when she is ready Dawnie"
"But Spike didn't come home last night. What if they got attacked and and what if he won't be coming back? Maybe that's why she's like that"
"Calm down sweetie, I'm sure Spikes fine" Willow said as she stroked Dawns hair in a comforting way.

Dawn fell into Willows arms and tried to ignore the intuition that nagged at her subconscious, telling her that everything was far from okay. Dawn tightened her eyelids together in an attempt to quieten the voices. It didn't work. She knew there was one person other than Spike, who would be straight with her and couldn't lie to her, Clem.

It was still early in the day and Dawn seemed happier. Xander and Willow watched as she bounced around talking non stop about a new shop that was opening in the mall and that she would be going with Jessica, the would be prom queen that everyone hated yet acted as though she was their friend. Shallow, sprang to mind, but then wasn't that what teens were all like?. Anyway, Dawns plan seemed to be working and she left the house an hour later.

Even at two in the afternoon, the cemetery gave Dawn chills. She shrugged her jacket closer around her body and walked towards Spikes crypt at a faster pace. Finally reaching it , she swung the door open. Clem shot out of the easy chair, spilling his bucket of wings and pulling his usual happy puppy face. His ears flopped and flapped as he waved overly enthused at the company. Dawn hugged him and slid herself up onto the sarcophagus. Clem offered her a drink and some chicken, Dawn declined the chicken but took up his offer of a cold soda. He could read her face now and waited til she had gulped half of the soda and belched before he asked her why she was there.

"To visit you, do I need a reason now?"
"No, no, course not , it's just, I can tell you want something. Please don't ask me anything that will put me in an awkward position Dawn, you know I can't lie to you, it's not fair and you know it"
"Nobody will tell me anything. Buffy's beaten up and is acting like Spikes dead and he didn't come home. Did he come here last night?"
"I promised I wouldn't say anything"
"So he did?"

Clem nodded and shook his jowls , causing his loose skin to wobble and then he looked down at the crypt floor.

"What happened ?" tears started to well up again " Did Buffy stake him?"
"No no .... he just had to go, he didn't say much , just asked me to keep you and her safe, and that he couldn't be around her like this, and left"
"Where'd he go, I have to get him back"
"Dawn, you can't, I don't know where he went"

Dawn sat and contemplated what Clem had said. She dried her tears and jumped off the sarcophagus and walked to the door.

"Thanks Clem, I'll come by later and see you, I'm sure Buffy will as well"

Dawn left and ran home to confront her sister.If Spike had left them both, something bad must have happened , he wouldn't just leave her or Buffy.


Buffy had stayed in her room since breakfast and by now, Willow and Xander were getting worried, Giles had turned up and Willow told him about the vague morning encounter and that Spike was nowhere to be seen. Internally ,Giles was hoping that Spike was dust, okay so he supported Buffy and hadn't made his feelings obvious when it came to her relationship with Spike, but he was a vampire, and after her return from the portal jump , and Angels new humanised status, something wasn't right. He just needed to tie it all together and somehow sort this mess out.

It didn't help that he had spent all morning on the phone with both the Council and the Covern. Something was coming, something big, and it would need both of them to defeat it.


Spike arrived at the edge of the village and walked towards the entrance of the cave. It was dark and even his vampiric sight could only just penetrate through the blackness. He flipped his zippo lighter and the small flame lit the immediate area, drawing his attention to the prehistoric cave paintings. Fascination transfixed him , and each one was more graphic than the last. Spike stepped back from the wall. He knew that they showed each stage of the trials. The demon rebelled against the pictures and clawed at him to turn back, but the man inside him, the one that should have feared this place,walked on, determination set, willingly going deeper into the cavern. Iridescent eyes watched as Spike entered the grotto like room. As Spike looked around, he stepped forward.

"You have entered the cavern, you know of the trials vampire and yet you still seek me out"
"Right, so you know what I am, so you know why I'm 'ere then"
"You wish to win a prize that should be unobtainable to you, you understand that these trials are to the death, and many deaths they have caused, many more brave , more passionate have fallen, what makes you think you would be victorious?"
"Typical! Why is it you bloody lot always love the sounds of your own pompous voices? Lets just get this started yeah? Then when I bloody win you give me what I camre for"
"We are in agreement"

The demon backed way, sinking into the blackness, behind him, a man stood, wearing nothing but a loin cloth, muscular and human.

"How hard is this test gonna be? He's human! Did you forget what I am?"

As Spike spoke the man stepped towards him and hit his wrists together. Flames erupted and engulfed his hands. He lunged for Spike , who just dodged the flaming fists.

"Oh bloody hell!"
Spike threw himself into the fight, he didn't have a choice, it was kill or be killed and Spike didn't fancy being dust just yet. His jaw set as he punched and kicked his way deeper into the fight.

Buffy sat at her window, knees up to her chest, arms holding herself tightly. The view from her window was somewhat obscured by the tree. But she could sense the sun setting as she sat there. The pull of the Slayer to do her job went unanswered. She touched her face and the bruising, her healing had been working hard to eradicate the wounds that she had received. It only made her feel worse. While the external healing had began and was working hard, her internal wounds still gaped open, bleeding into her soul , and her heart.

She touched the bite , Spikes mark upon her neck and snatched her hand back fast, it burnt, she could smell burning flesh, yet she felt nothing there, nothing that could cause the reaction that it had. She felt it then, at the back of her subconscious, Spike, was being burnt, but it was distant. He must be miles from her.

Buffy got down from her place at the window and pulled on her sweat pants and t shirt and grabbed her trainers. She ran down the stairs and out the front door.

Willow, Xander and Giles stood and watched as the Slayer ran in the direction of Spikes crypt. Dawn came up behind them and looked at their faces, then at the open front door.

"He's not there, he left"
"And how would you know that Dawn?" Giles asked
"I went to see him earlier and Clem was there.He told me he left, he didn't tell me why though"

Willow walked down the hall and shut the front door and then took Dawn in her arms.


Spike stood over the collapsed form of the human , he panted and wiped the blood, his blood , off of his face with his forearm. Finally catching his breath, he sniffed and stared at the demon.

"I think that qualifies as end of round bloody one to me mate, so you gonna bring on the next nasty trial ?"
"As you wish vampire"

The ground clicked and clattered, scurrying beetles crawled and climbed over each other to get to Spike. He stood firm, tensing himself for the onslaught. He wasn't exactly sure what would happen, just that it would be painful and no doubt could kill him, that was what he had been told to expect. As the beetles reached him and crawled up his body, Spike held his breath , waiting for the first wave of pain. As the first beetle made it to his chest, it took him some time to register the pain as it burrowed into his flesh.His scream echoed through the cave.

Buffy ran towards the crypt and suddenly , gripped by a pain in her chest, fell to the grass. Her scream pierced the quiet of the cemetery and Clem came running from the crypt. He helped her to her feet and took her inside. Buffy sprawled on the sarcophagus and whimpered in the daze that she had sunken into.

"Err Slayer? Buffy? Wake up" Clem, snapped his fingers in front of her face and got no reaction. His arm folds swung as he waved his arms in front of her and then clapped his hands sharply in front of her eyes, still not getting any joy, Clem took out his mobile and rang Dawn.

Upon her answering he told Dawn that Buffy had gone into some sort of trance outside Spikes crypt and that it was best if they came and got her. He hung up and watched as convulsions racked Buffy's body.

It wasn't long before Giles and Xander threw open the crypt door and stormed in. Clem jumped and stood beside the stricken Slayer. Nervously he smiled at the men .

"I don't think a demon did this, when I went to help her, I didn't see anyone around and it was daylight, so no vampires either. I bought her in here and laid her down, called you as soon as she was settled"
"Right, so you have no idea what happened?" Xander asked, he couldn't take his eyes off the floppy ears that seemed to bat the side of the demons head as he talked.
"Nothing "

Giles picked up the unconscious Slayer and didn't look back as he walked out of the crypt.Xander nodded politely at Clem and followed Giles. They arrived back at the house soon after their departure from the crypt and this time Xander carried Buffy up to her room.Once she had been tucked in and made comfortable, Dawn and Willow came into the room. Dawn sat next to Buffy and stroked her hair away from her face. As Dawns fingers slid into her soft gold hair, a large oval lump skittered under her skin and then disappeared again.
Dawn screamed and fell onto the floor with a loud thud. Everyone had seen it and astounded, they watched as a large beetle like creature crawled from her mouth. It rolled down onto the covers and screeched , it's legs stopped twitching and it lay dead.

Giles picked the deceased beetle up with tongs and put it in an airtight bag. Handing it to Willow, he sent her off to find out what exactly what the hell it was. Xander pulled up the chair that was in the room and agreed to take the first watch.

Spike felt his demon rise up within him for the first time during the trials. It liberated him and soon he felt it rage a war on the beetles that had invaded his skin , forcing them to scuttle around and find a way out. Spike fell to his knees at the pain it caused and he choked as the beetles made their escape up through his windpipe and out of his mouth. Spikes eyes watered as his throat contracted to expel the foul insects out of his body. With a loud roar, Spike cleared the last few remaining beetles and lurched forwards onto all fours, gasping for breath.

"You are a strong demon, you have proven more than worthy already , but rules are that you should endure three trials.Not one that has challenged me has survived to this stage, now we find out if you are truly worthy and if you are prepared for your prize"
"Just get on with it, had enough of your bloody chit chat , just bring it on"
"As you wish"

From out of the darkness, leather bounds shot out and wrapped around Spikes arms tightly and held him in place. The noise of a cogged wheel being cranked could be heard and Spike frowned, trying to work out exactly what was happening in front of him. His face contorted to the image of his demon and he strained to focus on the large structure before him. A small light illuminated the darkness , Spikes eyes grew wide in horror.

"Your fucking joking me!"
"I jest not vampire. If you are truly worthy then you shall survive. But I am not unreasonable and so I give you the chance to walk away now"

Buffy squirmed in bed and the groan that escaped her drew Xanders attention back to her. Her arms flew out across the bed and she lay as if she was crucified.Xander called out to the rest , they arrived just as Buffy screamed out .

Spike yanked at the bonds that tied him in place, his demon roared as the wall of stakes before him , groaned. The demon stood close to Spike.

"Now vampire, are you ready for your last trial? Will you accept this..... possible death as the last test?"
" What ya waiting for?"
"I need you to understand that this could result in your death, should you survive, I shall grant you your request "
"I know now just get it done"

Spike tensed, ready for the final test to begin, he didn't have long to wait. The demon released the stakes.

Spike watched as the demon released the stakes, he leant towards them and yelled , multiple stakes pierced his flesh and he blacked out.

Giles watched as several wounds appeared on Buffy's skin, blood stained her clothing and she stilled. Her breathing was shallow . Willow held her hands over Buffy and chanted. Giles watched and cleaned his glasses while he waited for her vedict. Willow shook her head and pulled her hands back away from Buffy.

"It's mystical, I could feel Spike too. Whatever this is it's linked them. He's going through the same thing, although his pain seems ten times worse. I.. I could also feel his emotions, he's doing it all for her, which is probably why Buffy is going through this as well"
"How can we stop it?"Xander asked
"We can't, I don't know how"

Giles replaced his glasses and rubbed his brow "Will she wake?"
"She will, when he does,and I don't know what he's doing or why or if he will wake up" Willow sighed " I just know that it's painful and he's doing it for her"


Spike woke up hours after the last test. He still had stakes embedded in his body and had bled significantly. He hissed as he sat up . He pulled the stake from his shoulder and threw it across the cave. He removed the rest and his growls echoed around the space around him. He staggered to his feet and leant against the wall of the cavern. Spike looked around him and saw the demon staring at him through narrowed eyes.

"You survived the trials. I am impressed vampire, better men and demons have tried and failed. What you seek you have earnt , I give you your reward."

The demon thrust his hand onto Spikes chest causing him to fall to his knees . A bright light emanated from the hand that touched above his heart. A blood curdling scream escaped his throat before taking a deep breath. Spike arched back away from the source of his pain. The demon roared as the contact was broken.

Spike slumped to the cold hard floor of the cave, breathless and weakened. The demon laughed.

"You now have your reward, leave and do not return vampire, you may not be so fortunate next time"

Buffy woke slowly. She looked around and was surprised to find herself in her own bed. She sat upright and frowned.

"Spike, I saw him, He needs me"

She shot out of bed and pulled on her sweats, she pulled on her trainers and ran downstairs, leaving Xander, Giles and Willow to stare after her. Finally Willow ran after her, calling her to stop her.

"Buffy!"
"Look I don't have time to explain , okay? I'll tell you guys everything once I get back, just have some blood ready for him"

Buffy ran off in search of Spike, the first place she would look, his crypt.


Spike woke again, his head hurt and his chest felt tight. He rolled over and stood, stretching and then hissing at the pain from his injuries.Clem heard the movement and stood at the entrance to the lower level waiting to see who was down there. Clem raised the iron bar in his hands and made to strike the figure as it climbed the ladder.

"Fuck Clem! What you trying to do to me!"
"Spike!!"
"To coin a popular Sunnydale phrase... Duh!"

Clem sniggered
"What... when did you get back?"
"Last night I wager, not sure how though"
"Oh... so um ... where'd you go ?"
"Took a trip , had something to do after... "

The door flew open , bathing the crypt in sunlight, Buffy stood in the doorway.

Instinctively, Spike shot back from the sunlight that flooded the crypt. Clem watched as Buffy slammed the door shut and walked towards Spike. Suddenly feeling uncomfortable due to the vibes that emanated from the two , he made his way out unnoticed.

Buffy squinted her eyes and stood back from Spike. She stood in front of him now and reached up to touch the burn that marred his face.

Spike tried to pull away but found that he was unable to, almost as if he had been glued to the floor. As her fingers gently traced the outline of the scorched skin, he closed his eyes. How long had it been since he felt her touch, held her in his arms? It seemed a lifetime ago and he had to hold her, feel her close to him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her into him. Buffy pushed back against his chest, laying her hand over his heart.

She shot back away from him , falling to the floor and frowned. How could that be?

"Buffy?" He knelt before her, his face puzzled by her reaction to him.
"How? H.. How did you do it, why did you do it?"
"For you.. for us.. I had to"

Buffy shook her head and her tears fell "That's what was happening.. I felt it , I could see it all in my dreams "
Spike looked at her, confused but at the same time realising that she had seen it all, had gone through it with him. He flared his nostrils and took in her scent. She smelt of the cavern, of blood and sweat and tears. He understood it all then. Buffy had been there with him and she had given him the strength to go through the ordeal and win. He grabbed her wrist and pulled the sweat top up. He saw the burns, saw the injuries that had been inflicted upon him too.

The Powers had interfered again. They had sent her to him, to give him strength. He paced the crypt, deep in his own thoughts. Buffy stood slowly and approached him. He stopped pacing and she stared into his eyes, her vampire had done the impossible for her.She took him in his arms and they sunk to the floor. Everything that had happened was forgotten, For now , the only thing that mattered was themselves and forgiveness.


He had a heart beat and a soul.